Resurrection
by Cordys-Vision
Summary: Why does it have to be her? Because I am selfish. Because I want her here. Because she was the brave one. Because we need Four to be better than he is right now. There are so many reasons, but none of them would convince Cara. "Because she's divergent. And a Prior. Her blood goes back to the beginning. She can fix all this. It has to be her."
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is my first Divergent fanfic. After finishing Allegiant two nights ago and having my heart ripped out and stepped on I started writing this. I hope you enjoy it as much as I had fun writing it. **

**Disclaimer: I won nothing but the idea. **

**Six years have passed since the end of Allegiant. The world has managed to rebuild itself, but there are still problems, the genetically damaged don't like that they are still being referred to as such and discriminated against because of the connotation. Things are on the verge of a new revolution. After the events of Allegiant it becomes widely known that Tris's divergence was unique and one of a kind. She had the highest level of resistance because she was able to resist death serum and a lot of people think if she were still around things would be different. Christina, Four, Cara, Shauna, Matthew and Zeke are all living in Chicago.**

**Christina**

Cara raises her hand slowly and all the eyes in the room move towards her.

"I'm sorry, I just have to voice what I know everyone is currently thinking. Are we being selfish?"

The room is silent.

Caleb sits in the corner his hands in his lap, he doesn't make eye contact with anyone, and he doesn't speak either.

Zeke raises an eyebrow at me, and I don't know what to say.

Are we being selfish?

Is this selfish?

"No…" I say quickly.

"We need her."

And I believe that. Of course I do. My candor ways have always and will always flow through me. I don't lie, if I can help it. I don't say things that I don't believe in.

Besides, I'm not very good at lying anyways.

Shauna shuffles her feet, the metal of her leg braces making a clinking sound. She told me once that she didn't move them to feel anything exactly, just moved them to make sure that they were still there.

"So who's going to tell Four?"

I shake my head.

"No one. No one is going to tell Four. Is that clear?" I rarely find it necessary to use a voice that is built for leadership, but this…

This is important.

Vital.

He'd never let us do this, and it's too important.

I glance at Caleb.

He's been silent this whole time, and his participation in particular is crucial.

"…Caleb?" I say quietly. "You know how important this is. How important SHE is. She's meant to be here. You need her. We need her."

Caleb looks up at me, his eyes glossy like he's trying his hardest to hold back tears.

"I know…it's just…" He lets out a sigh.

"She just went through so much. Sometimes I sort of think that…it was her time. That we should…" He pauses for a moment.

"…That we should let her go." He finally finishes.

Everyone is silent.

I think they agree.

Maybe I do too, but we are all too self-serving to let things lie.

I miss my best friend.

Caleb misses his sister.

Zeke and Shauna miss their friend and then there's Four.

He misses the most because Four misses his everything.

"Matthew? Tell us the plan again. From the beginning." I say.

Maybe that will reassure everyone.

Make them feel better.

Matthew clears his throat.

"I take Tris' DNA sample from before she died…" He licks his bottom lip like his mouth is dry just from saying her name.

"I mix that with Caleb's blood, because it's Tris' too." Caleb's head jerks up. "And I create something like a serum, essentially a recreation of Tris Prior in liquid form. It's sort of the same idea as creating a baby outside of the womb in a medical lab, only…" He pauses, tilting his head to the side.

"I'll be recreating Tris."

"Will she even be the same?" Zeke asks, and I know why he asks.

He is thinking about Uriah, his brother, and if this option could be used for him.

I know the answer.

Matthew insisted we would only do this once.

Only once would we defy the way of things.

Just this once.

For Tris.

Matthew shrugs, "I'm not sure what she'll be like. That doesn't mean we need her any less. Christina believes, and so do I that she's the only one who can help us create a world where everyone is happy."

The room is silent, not even a whisper of a breath.

I stand up from my chair.

"No one breathes a word of this to Four, not until…"

I want to say not until it's all over but that sounds scary.

Like maybe it won't work.

And this has to work.

"…after." I finally say.

"Okay?"

Everyone nods and slowly disperses from the room, everyone except for Matthew, because he lives here with me, and Cara.

Cara.

Four's girlfriend.

It still felt strange to call anyone that but Tris.

Then again no one called Tris anything anymore.

But they would.

Soon.

Cara waits for everyone to leave before she speaks to me.

"How am I supposed to keep this from him?" She lets out, desperation leaking into her tone.

"We…we don't lie to each other…I…"

"Do you understand what we're doing? How important it is?" I say, effectively cutting her off and turning around to face her.

"It's for the greater good."

She lets out a sigh, pressing her hands to her face for a moment.

"I just…" She starts, shaking her head.

"I feel bad! I feel bad lying to him. We made a pact a long time ago that we wouldn't…" She chews on her bottom lip.

"He's been through a lot too, Christina. I don't know how he'll feel about us bringing her back…especially in the middle of all this mess. She doesn't deserve that. Neither does he—"

"People are going to DIE Cara!" I scream it, though I hadn't really meant to.

She takes a couple steps back.

"Okay." She gives in.

"So then why does it have to be Tris?"

I am quiet then.

Why does it have to be her?

Because I am selfish.

Because I want her here.

Because she was the brave one.

Because we need Four to be better than he is right now.

There are so many reasons but none of them would convince Cara.

"Because she's divergent. And a Prior. Her blood goes back to the beginning. She can fix all this. It has to be her."

Cara nods.

She's heard all of this.

This isn't her first meeting, but I see the way her shoulders slump.

The way the fight goes out of her.

She isn't just fighting for Tris' "resting in peace."

She is fighting for her relationship.

For Four.

She knows that things are going to get shaky the second Beatrice Prior comes into the picture.

"I'll see you Friday…" Cara finally says, her voice softer than usual.

She leaves the apartment quickly.

I let out a relieved breath.

Matthew is sitting at his computer, typing furiously.

It's strange, I know.

He isn't my type.

He's brainy, and no-nonsense.

Like Cara and Caleb, Erudite at his core even though he'd never been a part of the faction system.

I know that it's strange but there is something warm about him.

Something that's easy to love.

Something that reminds me of Will.

"You're with me on this right?" I ask, suddenly curious and needing him to agree with me.

He looks up at me, a small smile reaching the corners of his lips.

"Of course I do. I want what's best for the world. For us. Our world. "

I smile a little.

"Then you better keep working."

He turns back to the computer, and I try to ignore the huge bubble resting in my stomach.


	2. Chapter 2

**Cara**

The knot in my stomach tightens as I stick my key into the lock of the apartment door.

It swings open before I have the chance to turn it.

Tobias stands there in a black sweater and blue jeans, bare feet on the carpet.

"Hey, where've you been?" He asks, curiosity crinkling his eyebrows.

Normally, we are very good about telling each other where we're going and why.

For the last month, I've been avoiding telling him where I go on Friday afternoons.

"Just…out…I don't know. I was walking around." I swallow.

I've really never been that great of a liar.

Tobias doesn't seem to notice.

He nods, stepping aside so I can come into the apartment.

It's small, but it's ours.

The living room practically connects with the kitchen but Tobias is comfortable here and really, so am I.

"I made dinner."

I stop, turning and raising a brow at him.

He cracks a grin.

"Okay." He holds up his hands.

"Evelyn was here earlier. _She_ made dinner. But I watched and helped…a little."

I shake my head, grinning, taking my bag off my shoulder and sitting it on the couch.

I am wearing a blue dress today, a lighter blue than Erudite blue, but blue, none-the-less. Tobias hates it when I wear blue.

Maybe this is my small act of defiance, trying to split us up before the inevitable did anyway.

"Next time she's here, I'll have to thank her."

I slip off my shoes, and make my way over to the table where the mail sits scattered across the table.

I flip through each envelope placing it on the table as I finish reading what they are.

Tobias watches me and I know instantly that he knows I'm hiding something.

"What's wrong?" He asks, voice sounding stiff.

I look up, an envelope still in my hand.

"What?"

"What's wrong? You're going through each piece of mail like you're examining it for death serum."

I sigh, placing the envelopes on the table. "I just...worry about you. Sometimes."

He raises an eyebrow. "What are you worried about?"

I remain silent, my bottom lip trembling.

This usually just makes him frustrated.

"Cara." He says my name, insistent.

He lifts his hand, and brushes his fingers across my bottom lip to steady it.

I take a deep breath. "It's been almost six years you know…"

He freezes and his body tenses.

"I know how long it's been." He says softly.

"And you still won't let anybody call you Tobias…" He flinches, and it's like it hurts me too.

I close my eyes.

"You're not over her…and sometimes I think that's okay but other times…" I pause, shaking my head.

"…It scares me. I just wonder why you're with me."

He looks like he's about to say something, but I don't let him get there.

"Do I take away the pain for a little awhile or do you genuinely think highly of me?" I say it all with a trembling voice.

This is not what I am trying to conceal from him, but it is a concern and a fear of mine. And it will throw him off the scent.

Even if it does make him ravingly mad at me.

He doesn't like talking about Tris.

He likes it even less when someone calls him by his real name.

His fists form into tight balls at his side, and I'm shaking now.

I don't like when he's angry and I _hate_ making him feel this pain but then, his fists unclench and he's taking steps towards me.

He puts his arm around me, holding me close to his chest.

"Cara…" He sighs into my hair, and I hold onto him like he might float away.

"I forget sometimes how fragile you are because you're so smart…" He kisses the top of my hair.

"I am as over it as I can be. I miss her. I do. But I don't…it's…" He pauses.

"It's like a distance memory…like…a good memory that you pull out from time to time." He strokes my hair softly.

"I know it's strange to fathom. I…" he closes his eyes for a moment.

"I loved her. Yes."

The words sound shaky coming out of his mouth.

"It's hard for me to hear someone else call me…" He trails off for a moment.

"…Tobias." He closes his eyes. "Because it meant something special to her, because she was the first one I let in on that secret."

He shrugs a little bit.

"…But, Cara, that's not who I am. That's not who I feel like I am anymore. I've always been Four. That's who I want to be."

I nod.

"I know, I'm just being so silly…" I turn, wiping my nose with the back of my hand.

He raises an eyebrow.

"You're not a very silly girl." He says, and it's true.

I don't say things if I don't feel them.

He knows that.

He pulls away and then pulls my chin closer to his face so that he can kiss me.

Fireworks go off behind my eyes like they almost always do when he kisses me.

"I love you, Cara." He says softly.

"In a completely different way than I loved Tris. Please trust that."

I do trust that.

Sort of.

At least now he could say her name without falling apart.

It only take three years.

I nod.

"Sure."

He raises a brow at me and I know what he wants, a better response to his confession of loving me.

I let out a soft breath.

"I love you too, Four." I say with a slight roll of my eyes.

He smiles, and then holds out his hand to me.

"Let's go eat dinner."

I take his hand and smile back at him as he leads me into the kitchen.

The knot in my stomach is still there.

**Tobias/Four**

_We are lying in the grass, our fingers barely intertwined, she turns to me and the sun glints off of her blonde hair. _

_ "Do you miss me?" She asks, her cheek resting on her hand. _

_ I look at her, smiling. _

"_Of course I do. I always miss you." _

_ She laughs a little, shaking her head. _

"_I'm right here, Tobias." _

_ I know she is._

_I know she's right there, but I feel like she's going to be ripped away at any second. _

_Even though she's here now, no time will ever be enough._

_I grab her, pulling her towards me, smelling her hair, feeling her skin. _

_ She pulls away, looking at me. _

"_Were running out of time, aren't we?" _

_ My whole being shrinks and I hold her closer. _

"_No. No we can't be. We just got here."_

_ She sighs, breathing me in the same way that I breathe her in, and suddenly I realize we are not lying in the grass anymore._

_We are up high, on a platform, and there is miles and miles between us and the ground. _

_I pull her closer to me, tighter._

_I'm terrified. _

_So terrified, I am shaking._

_We are up too high. _

_How did we get here? _

_ "Tobias, it's alright," she whispers. _

"_It's just height." _

_ She says it like it's so simple._

_I can't help but shiver._

_Then the platform she's standing on breaks. _

_I watch the look of panic on her face and then I watch her drop. _

_I slam my body down, flat on the platform, one hand holding tightly to the edge of the platform the other reaching out to grab Tris's arm._

_I catch her just before she falls, she's clutching my arm but she's heavy. _

_I can't pull her up and I'm so close to letting her slip, but I can't. _

_I can not lose her. _

_I won't. _

_ "Tris! Hang on!" I scream, she's so terrified, the look on her face, I can't stand it._

_I'm pulling with all of my might, but I can't get her back up here with me, safe. _

"_Tobias!" she screams and I look at her, tears swelling now because I know I can't save her._

_Eventually, she is going to fall. _

_ "I didn't want to leave you…" she says and then she let's go._

_ My hand slips from her arm and I watch her fall._

_ Down…._

_Down…._

_Down….. _

I sit bolt upright in bed, sweating bullets, Tris' name on my lips.

Cara is next to me, her hand resting on my back.

"Are you alright?" she asks.

She always wakes up when I have a nightmare.

Always.

Faithful Cara.

I nod, even though I'm not even close to alright.

I always lose her all over again.

Every other night in a nightmare I lose Tris all over again.

I am not over her or her death as I am constantly telling people, as I'm constantly telling myself.

"Was it heights again?" She asks, yawning, rubbing her face with her palm.

I nod.

"Something like that, yeah…" I mumble.

"I'm sorry, Four. Do you want me to get you some water or…?" She trails off, watching me.

I turn to her, and shake my head.

"No, Cara…I…" I pause.

"Thank you."

"For what?" She tilts her head, looking confused.

"For loving me…" I close my eyes for a moment.

"…As damaged as I am."

She smiles a little.

"Now who's being silly?"

I lean in and kiss her, and she kisses me back and I am lost in her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Caleb**

The apartment is dark.

It almost always is.

Turning on the light means I have to face myself and reality and I am rarely able to do that.

I live alone, I like it that way.

It's easier to ignore your demons if there aren't so many people around prying.

I don't know if we're doing the right thing about Tris.

I do know that I miss her.

Things haven't been the same since she left and to an extent, I think we need her.

But maybe she is finally at rest.

Maybe she is with mom and dad somewhere in the great ether.

Then I think _or maybe she'll want to come live here with me._

Brother and Sister again.

I turn on the light.

I am going to have to get used to it if Tris is coming back.

Tris never really liked the dark.

**Christina**

The doorbell rings and I leave Matthew to his serum research in order to answer it.

Four is standing in the doorway when I do.

He is wearing all black today and I am suddenly over-whelmed with memories from his initiate instructor days.

Even then I could see how much he'd already fallen for Tris.

My best friend.

"Four." I smile.

"What are you doing here?"

His mouth twitches into what I know is a smile.

When Tris was around his smiles were easier to discern.

"…Was in the neighborhood…thought I'd check up on you. You good?" He asks, his eyes moving to Matthew at his computer.

I follow his gaze.

"Yeah. I'm good. How about you? How's Cara?"

He looks at me, shaking his head slightly.

"She's good. We're good."

We had a brief falling out when he started dating Cara.

How could he do that to Tris?

How could he just forget her?

How could they both just forget her?

Eventually, I realized that Cara truly cared for him and Four deserves to be happy.

I still believe that but I also believe that he deserves to be happy with Tris.

"Honestly, I just haven't seen you in awhile. I get worried, you know." He says.

I smile.

We'd been taking care of each other ever since Tris died, checking up on one another, helping each other, because that's what she would've wanted.

"Well, I'm good. Do you want to come in? Matthew is on the computer as usual."

I shrug.

"We could play cards or something…"

He grins.

"No, I promised Cara I'd pick her up from the library. I just..." He pauses.

"I know this is strange of me to ask, but has she said anything to you? Anything weird?"

My stomach twists.

"Weird like what?"

"I don't know. She just seems…off." He says with a frown.

"…Like…she's hiding something from me."

I shake my head.

"I have no idea what she'd be hiding from you. She doesn't really talk to me a lot."

He nods.

"Yeah, okay. Just thought it was worth a shot."

He pulls me into an awkward hug.

Hugs are always awkward with Four.

"I'll see you later."

He says, smiles, and then he's out the door and I feel sick to my stomach.

**Christina**

Friday morning I wake up giddy.

Excitement is running through my veins.

Today, if all goes well, I will have my best friend back.

We make our way to the lab separately.

We don't want to draw too much attention to ourselves.

The labs are almost always closed on Fridays, Matthew knows this because he works there.

He is going to get us in undetected.

I am the first to arrive.

The lab is white, and smells like antiseptic.

There are microscopes and Petri dishes and syringes and suddenly, I am terrified.

This could all go wrong.

Caleb is the second to arrive.

He looks scared.

Then again he always looks that way these days.

He sits down in a corner as we both watch Matthew set things up.

Cara enters third followed by Shauna and Zeke.

We are silent.

We don't know what to say to each other because were all terrified.

Matthew walks over to us.

"Okay, I'm ready." He says, turning to Caleb.

"This way." He nods towards his workstation and Caleb follows him.

Matthew pokes Caleb with a needle and draws a syringe full of his blood.

Caleb doesn't even flinch.

Cara steadies herself.

She doesn't handle blood very well.

Matthew takes the vial and injects it into what I can only assume is Tris' DNA.

It swirls together in the Petri dish and then it turns a bright blue color.

I only notice it now but there is a large tank in the center of the room.

It is all glass and filled with an orange liquid.

There's a tube that comes out the back and that is where Matthew puts the contents of the Petri dish.

He glances at me.

"Do you have them?"

I jump.

"Oh…oh…yeah." I dig through my bag and pull out a plastic baggy with grey ashes in them.

Cara scoffs.

"You kept some of her ashes?"

I blush.

"Yeah I just…I thought we might need them one day."

I hand them to Matthew.

I didn't tell the others about the ashes because it felt too morbid.

I didn't need the judgment.

Besides none of this will matter when Tris is here with us again.

Matthew puts the ashes through the tube as well and then he presses a bright green button.

The orange water swirls and swirls.

Matthew is watching with wonder in his eyes.

He's excited.

This is the first experiment he's conducted on his own, whether it succeeds or fails he is relishing the chance to study it.

Everyone else in the room is invested for other reasons.

Cara looks like she can't breathe.

Shauna and Zeke are standing so close together it's almost like they're one person altogether.

The tube glows bright orange, and then bright blue, but it's still just water.

Strange water, glowing water and then it turns and turns, creating a whirlpool.

Everything is moving too fast to see but on one of the turns I think I see a leg, or an arm, hair…blonde hair.

I run to the tank placing my hands on the glass.

"Tris? Tris!" I scream, the water slowly stops turning, and there she is.

Exactly the same as she was.

Her blonde hair, blue eyes.

It's Tris.

She's naked and fully exposed.

She looks utterly terrified.

"Matthew! Let her out!" I scream, but just as the words are out of my mouth the glass tank breaks, shatters, glass goes flying everywhere and water gushes out.

Tris falls onto the floor and she's screaming so loudly that at first I thought an alarm was going off.

I am drenched in the orange liquid, but I don't care.

I wade through the puddle on the floor to get to Tris.

I kneel next to her, trying to lift her up.

"Someone get something to cover her up!"

Cara comes up behind me with a towel.

Tris claws at Cara, and she backs away quickly.

I grab the towel and wrap it around her but she's still screaming.

"Tris! Tris, it's okay...it's okay. It's me Christina. Tris?"

She turns her head to me and for the first time I see that she is shaking.

"Tris…it's okay. It's alright. You're back. You're here."

Her screams slowly die out and then she's crying, sobbing on the floor.

I wrap my arms around her.

God.

What did we do?

"Is she going to be okay?" I hear Caleb ask Matthew.

Matthew has no words for awhile.

"I…I don't…I wasn't expecting this…" he says.

Cara shakes her head.

"I…I have to go. Four will be home soon and If I don't go, he'll start asking around and-"

I nod. "Go. Cara. Don't say a word. Not yet."

She's shaking but she nods and then she's out the door.

I hold Tris as she continues to sob.

I don't know what the next step is.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **I know the question of "Have Four and Tris had sex?" is kind of up in the air after allegiant but for the purposes of my fanfiction, they haven't. **  
**

**Cara**

I can't believe I saw what I just saw.

Tris.

She's back.

Holy crap.

This is unreal.

She was so scared.

I've never seen her like that, hell, I hadn't seen her _at all_ for six years.

I'm still shaking when I enter the apartment.

Four is already there, immersed in an article.

He looks up as the door opens.

He sees me, my jeans wet from the orange liquid and my t-shirt ripped from where Tris had clawed at it when I tried to give Christina the towel.

He's up in an instant, his hands on my shoulders.

How did I think that I could keep this from him?

What am I supposed to say?

_Lie._

I hear Christina's voice in my head but the lie won't form behind my lips.

"What the hell happened to you? Are you alright?" He asks me, concern etched all over his face.

I look at the carpet trying hard to think of a lie.

What?

What could I possibly say right now apart from the truth?

He lifts my chin so that I have to meet his eyes.

"Cara, tell me what happened."

He's so genuine and concerned that it makes my heart ache.

I am a terrible person and I am absolutely losing it.

My face crumples instantly and I am a blubbering mess.

I _hate_ lying to him and I can't do it anymore.

Damn Christina to hell.

Damn her.

"I'm so sorry, Four." I sob.

"I'm so sorry. I should've just told you-"

"Told me what?"

"…I was just so scared…I'm so sorry."

"Cara, what is going on? You're scaring the living shit out of me, you've got to start telling me _something_ or I'm going to lose it."

He's probably terrified.

I never have this type of reaction to anything.

I'm not a crier.

Not really.

I pause, looking up at him.

How am I supposed to say this?

How am I supposed to shatter his sense of self that took him so long to re-build after Tris died?

No matter how I say it, I am ruining that and our relationship by default.

I close my eyes, and take a deep breath.

"We…" My voice comes out in a whisper.

I clear my throat a little.

"…We brought her back."

He stares at me, confusion in his eyes.

He doesn't understand.

"Who is we? Who is her? You're not making any sense." He shakes his head.

I bite my lip staring up at him.

"Christina, Matthew, Caleb, Zeke, Shauna and I. We."

He looks taken aback for a moment.

It is a very specific group of people, one that he was sure I didn't see much of anymore.

I see the moment he registers what's going on because his entire body sways.

He drops his hands from my shoulders and shakes his head once.

His lips are shaking.

He is about to fall apart and it is my fault.

"…Tris…?"

He whispers it as a question but he already knows.

I know he does.

"Yes…" I whisper back.

He's staring at me and I want to die.

How could I do this to him?

Why didn't I say anything the moment Christina devised the plan?

There's a moment where he looks at me and I think everything might be okay but then he tilts his head.

"You're lying."

Of course he thinks I'm lying.

This is completely insane.

It's totally implausible but I had never been more truthful about anything in my entire life.

I let out a snort because _why_ on God's green earth would I lie about something like this?

"Do you really think that I would lie to you about Tris Prior being back from the dead after everything you went through?"

He looks up at the ceiling eyes fixed on a crack that had been there since we moved in.

"…but how?"

"I…I don't really know the details. Matthew…something about…DNA and a serum…I don't know."

We are both silent for what feels like an hour but is closer to a minute.

When he finally speaks again he only asks one thing.

"Where?"

"The labs…the one's Matthew works in."

He turns, grabs his jacket from the back of the couch and pushes past me to move out of the doorway.

"Four! Wait!" I cry.

"Where are you going?"

He turns to look at me.

He's never looked at me the way he's looking at me now and it terrifies me.

"You don't get to ask me that right now."

I turn away because I don't want him to see how badly his words affect me.

"No…No! You don't get to cry right now either! You_ lied_ to me, Cara! For _WEEKS!"_

He's not screaming exactly but I wish he was.

That would feel better.

He shakes his head.

"I…don't even know who you are right now."

It's the last thing he says to me before he leaves me alone in the apartment, falling apart at the seams.

**Tobias/Four**

I'm not sure I believe Cara when she tells me.

It has to be a trick, or a joke and a really bad one at that.

That doesn't stop me from heading directly to the labs.

It would explain a lot; where Cara had been going every Friday, why Christina had acted so weird, why Cara had seemed off for awhile, Insecure.

It was because she knew Tris was coming back.

She doesn't know what that means for us and neither do I.

I enter the labs without even thinking of alarms or anything else.

I have one mindset.

I just have to get to Christina and Matthew because if they did this…if they really did this, that means _Tris is back_.

My Tris.

The Tris that didn't want to leave me.

I take the stairs two at a time.

I'd only been to the labs a couple of times but I remember where Matthew works.

When I reach the door to his workstation there is orange liquid spilling out from underneath the door.

It covers my shoes.

I notice there are strands of blonde hair mixing in it.

_Tris's hair_.

I try to open the door, but it is locked.

I bang on it repeatedly, if I have to kick it down, I will.

I start kicking it in, but it swings open before I have the chance to knock it off its hinges.

It is Matthew who greets me.

"Where is she?" I say in an unsteady voice.

Matthew looks surprised to see me.

"Um…" He stutters like he's afraid of me.

I don't have time for this.

I push him aside and move into the room.

That's when I see her.

She is crying softly on the floor and Christina is holding her.

If Caleb, Shauna and Zeke were here at some point they were long gone now.

Tris is wrapped in a green towel and she's drenched but she is beautiful.

The most beautiful thing I've seen in a long while.

Christina looks up at me and her eyes glisten with tears.

"You weren't supposed to find out like this. She's not ready."

I just stand there.

I feel like my limbs are useless.

She's right there.

The girl that I have prayed for.

The girl that I have dreamed about for six years.

I don't know what to do.

I want to go over to her but then at the same time I want to stay right here, far removed from it.

I finally find the strength and courage to move forward.

I kneel next to Christina.

"Can I hold her?" I whisper, though it's barely even a whisper.

Christina slowly lets go and I take Tris into my arms.

She turns into me, still sobbing, and I hold her close to me.

"Tris…" I whisper.

I can't help but smile.

I have her.

She's right here.

She's here and this isn't a dream or a nightmare where she's going to disappear at a moment's notice.

No.

This is real.

She is corporeal.

I can touch her, smell her, feel her.

I lean down burying my nose in her wet hair.

Her sobs start to mellow out, and then her breathing does too.

She's asleep.

She's asleep in my arms.

Oh, how long has it been since Tris Prior fell asleep in my arms?

Christina shakes her head.

"We've been trying to get her to fall asleep for an hour." She says in disbelief.

I don't respond to that.

I don't care.

"Get her some clothes." I say instead.

"Is there a shower in this place?"

Matthew nods.

"Yeah, uh…just up the stairs."

I pick her up.

She's almost weightless and I leave the room without a word to Christina.

…

The shower isn't really a shower.

It's just a nozzle connected to a wall.

I really want a bathtub but there isn't one at my disposable.

I prop her sleeping form against the wall and then I withdraw the towel.

I've never seen her like this and I try not to look unless I have to.

This is just business.

I have to get her clean.

I run the nozzle over her and orange liquid seeps out of her skin and down the drain.

I wash her hair and notice that strands are falling out.

I don't know how much hair is supposed to come out in the shower for girls but this seems unnatural.

Her hair feels brittle like it's barely there.

I don't remember this from before.

I tie her hair back in a ponytail the way I've watched Cara do it for herself in the morning a million times.

Cara.

I ignore the pang that thinking of her brings.

There is a set of clothes in the corner of the room.

Christina or Matthew must've brought them up when I was pre-occupied.

I rifle through them.

There is a blue dress there, like the one Cara had been wearing the other day, and a pair of socks.

I slip the dress on her and then the socks before carrying her out of the shower room.

I walk back into the lab and Christina and Matthew are talking in low whispers.

They've cleaned up most of the mess that was there when I'd shown up.

They look up when I enter.

Christina lets out a sigh.

"She looks almost…the same." She smiles just a little.

I don't respond to her.

I can't.

I'm afraid I'll yell and I don't want to wake up Tris.

"I'm taking her home." I finally say.

Christina stares at me like I've gone mental.

"Excuse me?"

"Did I stutter?"

The anger I feel towards Christina is seeping out of me.

" No! No, you can't just take her! You can't just walk in here and start commanding the operation. I did this! She's here because of _me._ I can handle it. I know what I'm doing. She needs to be with Matthew and I. Matthew needs to make sure she's okay, run tests. You weren't even supposed to be here!"

She is like a very spoiled child being told she isn't getting her way.

It's disgusting.

She has no comprehension of what she's done.

I've never wanted to smack someone so much in my life but Tris is in my arms and I won't let her go ever again.

I shrug.

"I wasn't supposed to be here but I am now. I'm taking her home. Matthew won't be running anymore tests, or experiments. She isn't a game, or a test subject, she's a person." I say as calmly as I can manage.

"She wasn't even _alive_ two hours ago, _Tobias_" she sneers.

"You can't do this! There's a reason we didn't tell you! You can't just take her and keep her all to yourself! She isn't _yours!"_

"I can, and I'm going to. I don't think you understand. This was wrong, Christina." I say.

"We were just trying to protect you and the whole city for that matter."

I laugh.

Protect me?

Is that a joke?

"I don't think you were trying to protect me Christina. I think you knew if you told me about this I would tell you not to. I think you knew that what you were doing was selfish and that you should've left Tris alone."

"No…I just…I wanted to make sure it would work first! Why put you through that pain if it was just going to-"

"Christina…you didn't care about my pain. If you had, you would've told me! You would've-"

I close my eyes.

I'm not going to do this with her.

I'm not.

"You're selfish." I finish.

She doesn't say anything and I am glad.

"If it's necessary. I will call you." I say, and then I leave the lab with Tris in my arms.


	5. Chapter 5

**Tobias/Four **

The apartment is empty when I get there.

I am glad for it. I take Tris to the bedroom because she is still sleeping.

I lay her down on my bed...Cara's bed.

Her head falls to the side, strands of hair stuck to her cheek.

She looks so fragile.

So fragile and small.

This is not the Tris I am used to.

The urge to cry is heavy but I resist.

I need to shower, but I don't want to leave her.

Leaving her ever again feels almost impossible.

However, I manage to kiss her forehead and then walk the length of the room to the conjoining bathroom.

I leave the door open, just in case she wakes up.

I take a five-minute shower, the quickest shower of my life and I am back beside her, watching her sleep.

It is three hours later when she wakes up. Her eyelids flutter open and her hand twitches which jolts me out of the half-sleep I'd fallen into beside her.

I rub at my eyes furiously, trying to wake myself up quickly so that I don't miss anything. She twitches again, her eyes on me.

"..Hi…" I whisper.

She doesn't respond.

She pulls herself up to a seated position slowly. Her hand reaches up to touch her hair that I had tied into a ponytail for her and then her dress.

She touches her face.

Her cheek, her nose, her lips.

Then she reaches out to touch my cheek.

I lean into her touch without really realizing it.

"Tobias?" Her voice is scratchy, uncertain.

I nod.

"Yes."

I touch her cheek.

"Beatrice. Tris." I say

She swallows, and then nods.

"I understand." She says and then pulls her knees up to hug them.

"What do you remember?" I ask softly, I don't want to scare her.

She seems okay now; she hasn't started screaming at least.

She is quiet for a long time and then she says.

"I didn't want to leave you."

I close my eyes.

It's really her.

"I know…" I say softly. "It took me a _really_ long time to believe that, but I know that now."

"I…was shot." She says softly.

"Yes." I say, confirming what she remembers.

"The plan. Did it work?"

I smile, she would be worried about that.

I think back to the day, back to how the entire bureau was reset.

Back to that moment when Cara said, "I'm sorry," and I had to view Tris' dead body.

My brief smile fades.

"Yes. It worked." I say. "Except the part where you died. That didn't work for anybody."

She closes her eyes for a moment.

"Why am I here?" She asks, uncertain.

"I think that Christina-"

"Christina…" she mumbles.

"Yes. I think Christina wants you to help with the uprising."

She blinks.

"Uprising?"

"The GD's…they're still unhappy. Well, some of them. I'm not one of them. Christina is."

"Oh." She says, nodding.

"Okay…"

She stands up and her feet are unsteady.

She sways.

"Whoa…where are you going?" I stand up with her.

She doesn't answer, just starts walking around the room.

She looks at everything, touches the walls and stares into the closet.

She passes the laundry basket, and then looks up at me.

"You live here?" she asks.

"Yes." I say.

She nods.

"Who else lives here?"

How did she know?

The laundry basket?

I sigh, "Cara."

"Cara. Will's sister." She says it like it's a fact she's trying memorize, or maybe just hold on to.

"Yeah. That Cara." I say, watching her.

She turns to me.

"Do you love her?"

I don't know how to answer that.

I thought I did.

No, I do, but Tris is here.

There is nothing in the world that matters more to me than that.

I am angry with Cara, but Cara is still important.

I shrug.

"I don't really know how to answer that right now."

She walks over to me, reaches one hand up, touches my cheek.

"I missed you."

I want to cry again and it's almost impossible to hold it back this time.

"I missed you too." I nod.

Then she's leaning up on her tip-toes and I'm leaning down and I am kissing her.

I am kissing Tris.

I have dreamed of this so often, but nothing has prepared me for the real thing.

She is amazing, and real, and I am in love with her.

My Tris.

Tris…but she tastes different.

Strange.

She tastes like ash, and dirt, and…chemical.

I pull away.

She looks at me, her eyes wide with terror, and then she doubles over, vomiting.

She's throwing up all over the floor but it's dirt.

There is dirt, and ash, and…liquid coming out of her and I am frozen because I have no idea what is happening to her.

I look up at the doorway.

Cara is standing there, looking lost.

How long had she been there?

"Call Matthew." I say, focusing back on Tris.

Cara walks into the other room for the phone without another word.

**Matthew**

The call comes at around 7pm.

I recorded it.

I am recording everything.

This is the first experiment I've ever conducted alone and it's a huge one.

I brought someone back from the dead.

The thought still makes me shudder and shake.

When Four took Tris I was devastated, that was _my_ experiment.

Why should he get to barge in and take over?

I hadn't even secured the patient yet! Then I remembered that Four loves Tris, and if it were Christina I would one thousand percent feel the same way.

For now however, Tris is simply important to a plot that we've devised.

She is the only verified Divergent we've ever had.

The bureau hadn't had a chance to run tests on all of them -mostly just Tris and Four-, but what we found was that Tris' DNA was so different, so _divergent_ that she could've been the most genetically pure person to have survived.

Christina answers the phone because I am too busy scribbling away in my journal about the events from today.

Christina has done nothing all day but curse Four's name and stare angrily at the wall.

She hangs up the phone, and looks over at me.

"We have to go. Now."

I looked up at her, raising a brow.

"Huh?"

"That was Four. It's Tris...something's wrong."

"Wrong?" I question, "Is she okay?"

Christina shakes her head.

"I don't know. We just have to go, okay?"

She looks tearful, frightened and suddenly I realize that this is more than an experiment to her.

Tris is her friend and maybe this had been less about the revolution and more about that for her.

I grab my journal and her hand and we are out the door.

**Tobias/Four**

Cara has been cleaning up dirt and ash and blood for what feels like hours.

I am holding Tris in the living room.

She's sweating and shaking and I wish I could make it go away.

All I can do is hold her, tell her that I love her, and that we were going to fix this.

The problem is that I don't really know any of those things for certain.

I have no idea if we can fix this at all.

Cara enters the room and then disappears into the kitchen.

This feels like the thirtieth time she's come out to ring out a towel in the kitchen sink.

We haven't spoken at all about Tris being here or the fight we'd had but she's been nothing but helpful.

Christina and Matthew arrive and I don't know whether to hug them or slap them.

I'm still so angry with both of them but at least they are here and they can help me because I am lost.

Christina sits down next to me and wipes the sheen of sweat from Tris' forehead.

"What happened?" She asks

Cara comes out of the kitchen and leans on the doorframe between the living room and kitchen, listening.

The towel is still in her hands.

Matthew takes out a notebook and a pen.

I resist the urge to punch him.

I shake my head, shrugging.

"She slept for awhile...I'm not sure how long." I stop, looking down at her.

"She seemed fine when she woke up. She knew who I was. She knew what happened to her…" I pause again.

I don't want to say too much.

Not in front of Cara.

Not when I don't know how much she'd seen.

"…And then I don't know. She started throwing up but…" I shake my head.

"It was just dirt...and ash and blood...some of it was clear…I don't…" I stop.

I don't know how to explain it.

The way she tasted.

The way she acted.

Her hair being so brittle...

Something is wrong.

She isn't _right._

They brought Tris back but they brought her back _wrong._

"Are you leaving anything out?" Matthew asks, scribbling in his journal.

I glance at Cara.

She's staring at me and I can't say it.

I can't tell Matthew the truth.

I shake my head.

"No. Nothing." I say.

Cara shakes her head.

"That's not true." She says softly.

"He kissed her…" She trails off for a moment

"…Before she started throwing up. They said they missed each other…and then he kissed her."

Her voice sounds so hurt.

A part of me wants to comfort her but my arms are too full of Tris.

Christina looks up at Matthew.

"What does this mean?"

Matthew continues writing for a moment and then he looks up at us.

"Well, things aren't black and white. I've never done this before but…I think I might know what's going on." His eyes shift to Tris.

"It would really help to have a first hand account…"

He kneels down in front of her.

"Tris? I need to talk to you."

Tris turns her head to look at him.

"...Matthew…" She croaks out.

He nods.

"Yes." He gives her a small smile.

"Can you tell me how you broke the glass today?"

Christina interrupts.

"Wait. I thought you did that. You didn't let her out?"

Matthew looks up shaking his head.

"No. I was going to but my hand hadn't even reached the button before the glass shattered."

Christina stares at Tris like she's something brand new.

Maybe she is.

Tris shakes her head.

"I...I don't know." She closes her eyes.

"Please Tris. Try and remember." he pleads.

She takes a breath.

"I….I don't know, it was awful in there, I couldn't breathe, and I just thought...I want out, and then...I was out."

Matthew scribbles in his journal.

"Why were you screaming?" he asks, not looking up from the notebook.

Tris is quiet for a long time to the point where Matthew opens his mouth to ask the question again but before he can get it out, she answers.

"...Because it hurt." She says softly.

"What hurt?" Matthew presses.

"Um…" Tris starts, and then shakes her head.

"I...I don't know I was...I was somewhere...warm, and soft, and then it felt...I felt like I was being ripped….in two and then...I don't know, I was floating in water and I couldn't breathe and I just wanted...out."

I am staring at her because I can't believe they did this to her.

She was at peace.

Happy.

And then they ripped her...ripped her in half.

They brought her back here where everything is harsh and cold and sad and dangerous. Christina is the one behind this and I want to murder her.

"Tris...can you stand?" I ask, suddenly and sharp.

She nods and pulls herself to a seated position before standing, swaying just slightly.

I don't think.

I simply grab Christina by the throat and slam her against the wall.

"Tobias!"

I hear Tris' scream but it seems so far so far away.

All I can hear is rage echoing in my ears like a roaring ocean and it's so loud.

"How dare you!"

I'm screaming and I slam her again.

She's sputtering, she can't breathe but I don't really care right now.

"How dare you do this to her! Do you have any idea what you've done!"

"Tobias! Tobias! Stop!" Tris is screaming again but I can't stop right now. I can't.

Matthew is trying to pull me off her by the shoulder but he isn't strong enough.

"Tobias...Tobias! To-"

"FOUR!" It's Cara's voice that makes me release Christina.

She slides to the ground, holding her throat, gasping for air and Matthew kneels beside her telling her to breathe.

I look at Christina and then Tris, who is looking at me like she's never been more terrified of anything or anyone in her entire life, and then there's Cara who is looking at me like I am a time bomb.

I look down at my hands and they look strikingly like Marcus'.

My father.

I lose it.

I run to the bathroom and sooner rather than later I am clutching the toilet.

I throw up, once, twice, a third time.

I cannot be him.

I cannot be turning into my father.

Cara follows me into the bathroom.

She shuts the door behind her, kneels next to the toilet and grabs my face.

"Hey!" she says forcefully.

"Look at me."

I force my eyes to meet hers.

"You're not him." She shakes her head.

"Do you hear me? You're not him. This isn't you…."  
I am having a panic attack.

I can't breathe.

She pulls me close.

"Come here. You're not him. You're not. It's alright." She strokes my hair and I am crying into her shoulder.

"Shhh…" she whispers. "You're not him, Four."

But Cara doesn't know.

Cara can't possible know.

Can't possibly understand how damaged I am.

How much of Marcus Eaton flows through my veins.

She pulls back, looking at me.

"What they did is awful. What we did. It's awful. I know it. I couldn't see clearly before. Christina was so convincing…." She pauses for a moment.

"I'm so sorry for what we did to Tris...and you. I'll never forgive myself."

Cara is such a genuine person.

"You were angry." She insists.

"It was a one time thing. You would never hurt me. Or Tris. Or anyone. It's not you." She holds my hand.

"I'm not afraid of you. You are not Marcus Eaton. You're Four." She nods.

I look at her and I've never been more thankful for her in my life.

She touches my cheek, her eyes glistening a little like she is holding back tears.

"I love you so much, Four."

I look at her but I can't say it back, not right now when everything is so...up in the air.

Instead, I kiss her because I can't thank her enough.


	6. Chapter 6

**Tobias/Four**

It is almost three hours later and everyone has calmed down for the most part.

Matthew is in a corner with Christina.

His arms are wrapped around her like he's afraid someone else is going to hurt her or maybe that I will all over again.

A bruise is forming around her neck where my hands were.

She won't look at me and I won't look at her.

Cara is in the kitchen making tea.

Tris is sitting on the couch, legs tucked underneath her, staring straight ahead like she's thinking a million different thoughts and she probably is.

She pulls her hair to one side and starts braiding it.

She stops halfway through like she can't remember how.

Cara brings us all cups of freshly brewed tea and then she sits cross-legged in the middle of the room.

There's a knock at the door and we all jump.

For a moment, I just stare at Cara.

Who would be coming over now?

Was she expecting someone?

Now?

Was the rest of the world still living and moving on when we were trapped in this apartment dealing with hell on earth?

I stand up slowly to answer the door, my legs feel like jelly.

I am not equipped to deal with this situation.

I slide the latch of the lock and open the door.

Caleb stands before me.

I haven't seen him in years.

He looks so much like Tris and that is why.

But right now, Tris is in my living room, so he has less of an effect on me.

He doesn't say anything for a moment and then he crosses his arms.

"I want to see my sister."

Before I can say anything at all, Tris is pushing past me and running at him.

She throws her arms around his neck and hugs him so tightly I think she might bruise him.

It sort of makes me wish I had gotten that kind of reaction.

Then I think that I am being stupid and I have bigger things to worry about.

"Caleb." She breathes.

"Beatrice." He hugs her back.

"Are you alright?" He asks.

"How are you feeling? I'm so sorry, I should've been there. I should've stayed with you. I wanted to. But…" his eyes scan the room and land on Christina.

"...I thought it would be better if I didn't."

She keeps hugging him, not caring about his words.

I wonder what Christina must've said to him to make him leave that lab and his newly re-born sister.

She pulls back.

"You look so much like Dad." She says with a proud smile.

"You're so grown up."

He hugs her again like he can't believe she's really here and saying these things.

Hell, I could hardly believe she was really here and saying these things.

I widen the door a little.

"Come in, Caleb."

Tris takes his hand and they walk in together.

He moves towards the couch, and Tris sits so close to him I think they might get lost in each other.

Caleb looks at her like she is the only thing in his world.

I realize it's because for him, that is true.

Without Tris, there is no one left to remember who he was before he made all of his mistakes.

"Tris now that you're here, I just have to say how…" He pauses, it's like he'd been planning a speech but now he'd forgotten the words.

"You saved me and I can't...ever...make up for that. After all the things I did to you, you still saved me and forgave me and-"

Tris looks up at him shaking her head.

"Caleb. You are my brother." She shrugs.

"At the end of it all, nothing else matters but that. I had a chance at survival. You didn't."

Her overwhelming forgiveness consumes me.

She would've forgiven Caleb anything.

Would she ever forgive me for moving on without her?

I realize now that I will always feel a piece of guilt because Matthew and Christina had brought her back and I hadn't even entertained the thought.

Why didn't I look into it?

Why didn't I try?

Was I so content to live in my grief?

I tell myself it's because I'm not as selfish as Christina but I'm not sure that that's true.

Matthew stands up and all our eyes turn to him.

"Have you figured out what's wrong with Tris yet?" I ask, trying to control the anger in my voice and mask the annoyance in it.

Matthew looks like he wants to hit me but he doesn't.

"There's nothing _wrong_ with her exactly," He says defensively.

"I think she was throwing up because her body is getting used to...being a body. It's scientifically crafted but it has to get used to walking and talking, breathing…she did too much too fast and her body wasn't prepared."

It makes sense I suppose but I still don't like it.

Would it always be this way?

Cara raises her hand.

It's a funny habit she has, like she's always in a classroom, though she never waits to be called on to voice her opinion.

"But...it wasn't regular vomit. It was...just dirt...and…" She closes her eyes.

I thought I had been shaken up by Tris' episode of throwing up dirt and ash, then I realize that Cara was the one who spent hours cleaning it up off our bedroom floor.

Matthew nods like it isn't strange at all.

"Well, of course. That's all she was a few hours ago. So that's all her system has in it. That's all she had to expel."

I know what he's saying is true.

It just doesn't feel that way.

It's only been eight hours since she's been back but it feels like a year.

It also feels like no time at all.

"That doesn't explain the glass breaking, though." Christina says softly.

Her voice is rough, raspy and scratchy sounding and I hate that that is satisfying to me.

"Well," Matthew starts. "She is what she's always been. Divergent."

No one says anything because they don't understand and with good reason, because it doesn't make any sense.

Matthew clears his throat and continues.

"Tris could manipulate things before, right? But only in a simulation. Well now, it's like Tris is _always_ in a simulation."

We all turn to look at Tris but she seems just as clueless as the rest of us.

"What, so she has some sort of super power?" Christina rasps.

Matthew grins.

"Sort of."

He glances at Tris,

"... Now, this is the part I'm unsure about. It's all speculation because I don't have any real proof to back it. " He pauses for a brief moment.

"I think...the reason Tris felt pain is because we used her ashes. Wherever she was in her afterlife...part of her was ripped away to recreate _this_ Tris. She is half the Tris we knew and half what we created."

Caleb raises a brow.

"...So she's Tris...but...super Tris?"

Matthew shakes his head.

"Not quite. She's just...a brand new Tris. Think of it this way. Her old DNA sample wouldn't match up at all if I took a DNA sample now."

We all turn to look at her.

We were kidding ourselves by thinking that she was the old Tris.

There are things about her that are just...different.

It's hard to explain, like when you stare at a picture too long and it starts to change.

Christina looks happy, giddy almost, like everything she had done is now justified.

It all has a purpose now.

It's okay that they brought Tris back because Tris is going to lead the revolution with her new divergent powers.

I feel sick.

Tris looks so small right now, cuddled next to Caleb, her big brother.

She didn't ask for this, any of it and now Christina just wants to throw her into the ring, into the mix of this crazy uprising and I won't let her.

I just won't.

I stand up quickly.

"I think we should call it a night."

Cara stands up after me and nods, backing me.

"Yes. That sounds like a great idea. It's been a long day. We should all get some rest, reconvene later in the day tomorrow." She nods as if confirming her own plan.

Christina rubs her throat.

"Um…that sounds great actually but I think Tris should come home with us."

I raise an eyebrow at her.

This is the first time I've looked directly at her since the incident earlier.

"And why is that?" I say, and I know my voice probably intimidates her but I'm having a lot of trouble caring.

She doesn't meet my eyes when she speaks.

"You're a little unstable right now, Four. Obviously. I have the bruise to prove it. Tris needs to be around someone who can help her at a moment's notice. Matthew has his science knowledge and I'm her best friend. It seems the only way to go."

Caleb clears his throat.

"Sorry but...why can't she come home with me? I'm her brother I should get some say in-"

I cut him off abruptly.

"Or maybe she should stay here where she's comfortable, where she's already slept for a few hours, with someone who cares about her-"

"So you can try to choke her to death too?" Christina interrupts.

I take a step towards her but Cara holds me back by the arm.

Caleb's eyes widened.

"You tried to _choke _Christina?"

"Hey!"

Cara says and everyone stops in favor of looking at her.

"Everyone, just calm down. Maybe we should ask Tris where she'd like to go seeing as it's her decision and none of you have even bothered to ask her."

I feel guilty instantly.

She's right.

I turn towards Tris.

She's looking back at me with curious eyes.

She scans the room, her eyes falling on each individual person for a moment.

She turns to Caleb first.

"Caleb, I am so happy to see you, but I don't think staying with you right now is going to help me much. I'm feeling…" She pauses, chewing the inside of her lip for a moment.

"I'm feeling such intense emotions about everything right now. And I'm just trying to figure it all out. You're family, but it feels like too much right now."

She turns to Christina, a frown on her face.

"Christina." She frowns. "I'm not really sure how I feel about you at the present moment."

"W-what?" she questions, mouth half-open.

"You did a really terrible thing, Christina."

Christina's mouth drops open. "What are you talking about? I saved you!"

Tris shakes her head. "I didn't need saving, Christina."

Christina stares at her.

Tris has finally said what I'd been trying to tell her all along.

She is selfish, and she should've left Tris alone.

Christina folds her arms across her chest and turns her head away, resolved to being defeated.

"And no offense to Matthew but I don't want to be poked and prodded anymore."

Matthew just shrugs, but I can tell he's disappointed that his test subject has refused any more tests.

Finally, she turns to me...and to Cara.

"I'd like to stay with you two, please." She pauses for a moment and then says, mostly to Cara, "If that's alright."

"Of course it's alright." I answer instantly.

Cara takes a moment but then she nods.

There.

It's settled.

Tris will stay here with us.

**Christina**

I wait until Matthew and I are in the car before I speak freely.

"This isn't going right. This isn't going well at all." I say, Matthew's hands are tight on the steering wheel.

I can tell he's nervous and so am I.

"I thought you said she trusted you?" Matthew questions, his tone is accusatory.

"She did!" I say defensively.

"Tris is my best friend, it's Four!" I say, frustration seeping out of me.

"He just gets her all confused and involved and then she always picks him."

I think back to when I found out she had been the one to kill Will.

Oh, how I hated her.

I just kept thinking she had done anything and would still do anything to save Four.

Will was just a casualty in her torrid love affair.

Those thoughts made it easier to hate her.

It also makes it easier to do what Matthew and I are doing now.

When the bureau was reset we all thought it was over but then things changed.

Johanna Reyes took charge and we "genetically damaged" were oppressed all over again. She claimed to be working on things peacefully from the inside and maybe some Genetically Pure believe her spiel but I certainly don't.

David however, David is going to change all that.

He promises genetic purity all around.

He could change us all, make us all equal starting with Matthew and I if we help him get his martyr back.

Tris.

With Tris on David's side people will follow.

For some reason, people believe in Tris.

I know I used too.

I hadn't been truthful with anyone but I was doing what I knew to be best for the greater good.

For the GD's.

Like myself.

Only now, Four had her wrapped around his finger and we would never get her on board this way.

Four would never agree to it because he works with Johanna and because he doesn't want Tris involved.

"We have to go and see David." I say, rubbing my bruised neck.

Matthew nods, yes.

"I can't see how were ever going to get her away from Four though. He's like an attack dog."

I shake my head.

Poor Cara, I can't help but think.

It's obvious how much Four is hurting her.

The way he looks at Tris, he has never looked at Cara like that.

I wonder how long it would be before Four gave Cara the boot.

I take out my cell phone and press the 1.

The only programmed speed dial I have is David.

"David, it's Christina." I say.

"We have a problem and his name is Tobias Eaton."

**Cara**

Everyone left a little over an hour ago.

It was then that Tris asked to speak to Four alone.

I have been sitting on the couch, feet tucked underneath me watching the bedroom door across the room.

What are they talking about?

Are they even talking at all or doing something much more risqué?

The door finally swings open and Four comes out.

He looks tired but his eyes are excited.

My heart aches.

He comes over to the couch and sits down next to me.

"She's tired and wants to sleep, but I told her I'd have to talk to you first about where exactly she is going to do that."

I blink.

I hadn't really thought of that.

If Tris was going to stay here, where would she sleep?

Better yet, where would Four and I sleep tonight?

Together?

I let out a sigh.

"She can have the bed. I don't mind."

"Really?" He presses, disbelieving my answer.

I shrug.

"She needs a bed more than I do right now. Besides, sharing a couch with_ you _might not suck too much." I slip it in casually, like it is understood that no matter what, we are sleeping together.

But it isn't understood and I am terrified of his reply.

"Cara…" he starts, but I cut him off.

"Don't."

"Don't what?"

"Don't make up excuses. Don't bullshit me. Just...lay it all out."

He sighs.

"I'm sorry that you have to go through this."

I look up at him sharply.

I wasn't expecting that.

"You've been really wonderful and even if it's just because you feel guilty for being involved with all of this and lying to me about it, I still appreciate it."

I chew on my bottom lip.

"But I don't think we should sleep together tonight." he finishes.

My heart drops.

So I'm supposed to sleep on the couch while he sleeps next to Tris?

How is this my life right now?

He dispels that theory quickly.

"I'm not going to be sleeping with Tris either. I just think we all need some time to re-evaluate things."

I stare at him.

How is he saying these things?

Just yesterday he was telling me he was over her, that he loved me and now here he is telling me we need to 're-evaluate things".

How had I ever believed he would stay with me over Tris Prior?

"Why?" I say, trying to keep tears at bay.

"Because she's back? Everything that we had, the life we built together….What was that? Was that just…what?...filler until you could be reunited with your one true love? That's sick, Tobias."

He flinches at the use of his name by someone other than Tris.

I roll my eyes.

I cannot stand this anymore.

The pedestal he held Tris on was unreachable and it just wasn't fair.

"Get. Over. It." I say through my teeth. "

"Tobias, Tobias, To—"

He grabs my wrist and squeezes it hard to get me stop.

It works.  
"You're hurt. I understand that, but you have to understand something. I don't have to re-evaluate my feelings for you because of Tris." He says slowly.

"I have to re-evaluate them because you lied to me. Over and over again, I gave you multiple opportunities to tell me the truth and you didn't."

"That's not _fair_, Four!" I sound like a two year old but I don't care.

"Yes it is! I knew you were hiding something from me, I knew it! I'm not stupid, Cara. I know you. I know you so well that I know you were trying to sabotage us before Tris even got here."

"What are you talking about?" I question.

I don't believe I was doing that, but maybe subconsciously I was.

Maybe I just wanted to avoid this part.

The inevitable pain I would feel when the elusive Tris Prior was back because at this point, I would give anything to not feel this gut-wrenching hurt.

"We've been together four years and now you want to talk kids? You know I don't want kids, you know that's a deal breaker for me and I never tried to hide that from you."

Three months ago I brought up kids for the first time in our entire relationship.

I'd seen a mother and her four-year-old son at the library and my heart felt a tug for something it never had before.

I wanted a family but more importantly, I wanted a family with Four.

He'd been very clear on that front though.

He didn't want children.

He didn't want to bestow pain on anyone the way his family had bestowed pain on him.

No children.

Ever.

On our first date, we played a silly game called "dealbreakers", each of us said something the other couldn't deal with in a relationship and it went back and forth like that for hours.

Most of mine were things like "doesn't read." or "drinks too much."

Four's first was "wants kids."

I thought I was okay with that.

I thought I didn't need children.

Things felt different now.

People change.

It's been four years.

I shake my head,

"My god, Four! It was just a thought! That's what people who love each other do! They start a family. God forbid, I thought you might've changed your mind." I scoff.

"Our relationship is under fire because I had a thought? How is that fair? Don't do this. Don't try and make this about anything other than what it is. This is about you not being over Tris Prior."

He lets out a sigh.

"I don't want to fight with you! I don't. I love you, Cara. I do. But yes, I still love Tris! You always knew that. I didn't have a chance to say goodbye to her, or even find out what we have outside of...everything. I feel like we're getting a second chance. I know it's not fair of me to ask you to wait, Cara. So I'm not going to." He pauses, watching me.

"However much I want you too."

My bottom lip is trembling.

Is he really asking me to wait until he decides if he and Tris are meant to be together?

I want to throw up.

My heart feels like it shattered into a million pieces and it's getting harder to breathe when I'm supposed to.

"What is it about her?" I say softly.

"What?" He looks at me, strangely, like he doesn't understand the question.

"I said, what is it about her? Is it her skinny legs or her big nose or the way she says your name? Is it how she's reckless, and doesn't think before doing anything? Do you like feel like you might lose her at any moment? Is that it? Do I feel too stable for you? I want to settle down, I want to love you, but Tris...Tris is dangerous and fun...Tris-"

"Stop it. Trashing her isn't going to make it go away." He cuts me off.

I want to throw something at him.

Something large and heavy.

At the same time I want to cry and beg him not to do this.

Show him that I am the one.

Me.

Cara.

Not Tris.

But I don't do either.

I let out a breath and the anger flows out of me through my finger tips.

"I'm sorry." I whisper.

"I'm sorry too." He says back.

We are at a stand-still.

"Just give it some time, Cara. That's all I'm asking."

Give him time to fall in love with Tris.

I close my eyes, this is way too painful.

I am going to lose it.

"Okay…" I manage to say.

He reaches over and touches a hand to the back of my head, pulling me forward.

He leans in and presses a kiss to my forehead.

We are silent for a moment and then he drops his hand from the back of my head.

"You take the couch. I'll make myself comfortable on the floor."

He gets up, disappears into the bedroom for a moment, probably to tell Tris its okay to sleep there and grab blankets.

I lay down on the couch, wishing more than anything that today had never happened.

…

I wake up from a nightmare and my watch tells me it's close to 3 AM.

Four is sleeping on the floor one arm flung over his eyes like he's afraid of the sun waking him up.

I am shaking on the couch because the dream, the nightmare, had felt so real.

I glance at the bedroom door.

It is open just a crack but I can't see anything going on inside.

Just knowing Tris is in there hurts and comforts me all at the same time.

I slip off the couch and crawl over to Four's make-shift bed on the floor.

I settle into him like I do every night, head in the crook of his other arm.

He adjusts to me, pulling me in.

God.

I love him.

I love _this_.

He stirs after a moment or two, eyes fluttering open.

"Cara...what are you doing?" He whispers.

"I…" I bite my lip.

Half of me wants to tell him and the other half wants to just go back to the couch.

"I had a nightmare and I just...I wanted to be with you."

He's quiet for a moment, and then he pulls me closer instead of kicking me out.

Maybe he feels like he owes me after all the nights I comforted him when he woke up from his nightmares.

"What was it about?" He asks curiously.

The thing I love about our relationship is, _was,_ I suppose now…that at its core, we were always friends first.

But I don't know if I can tell him about this particular nightmare mostly because it hadn't really been a nightmare.

I dreamt about a little boy with four's hair and my eyes.

This would never be a reality and I know that now more than ever.

And to me, that's what makes it a nightmare.

I shrug.

"It's not important. Can you just hold me? Please? Just for a little while."

He sighs.

I know he is reluctant but I need it so badly.

He pulls me in.

I sigh in relief.

"Cara?"

"Mmm?" I say in response already, drifting back off to sleep in the safety of his arms.

"You're still important. You know that. Don't you?"

"Mm." I mumble.

I'm so exhausted.

He kisses the top of my head and I am asleep before I can count to ten.


	7. Chapter 7

**Tris**

My body feels so heavy.

That is the number one thing I'd had to get used to.

Heaviness.

Solidity.

Weight.

Even as I'm lying in bed I feel heavy.

I shift trying to find a comfortable position.

There isn't one.

I let out a frustrated noise and resolve to sitting up in bed.

Everything is so strange, and so different.

Caleb is closer to a man than a boy now and that is frightening.

Then there is Tobias who almost seems exactly the same as I'd left him, except there is grief there that I'd never seen before and I fear that I caused it.

The guilt is all consuming.

I am aware that we were supposed to have a whole life ahead of us and I destroyed that.

But maybe this is our second chance.

I still love him and I know that he still loves me; I felt it in that brief, slightly embarrassing, kiss that was interrupted by dirt-vomit.

I lean back against the pillow and I am enveloped in Tobias' smell.

I smile to myself.

This must be his side of the bed.

I have subconsciously found my way there without even really trying.

This doesn't seem fair.

I am in here, and he is in there, and we both want to be together and we're miserable because we're not.

I slide out of bed, taking a moment to steady myself because my legs still feel new, before wandering out of the bedroom.

I stand in the doorframe for a moment, my eyes adjusting to the darkness.

Tobias and Cara are lying on the floor together.

She is nestled in the crook of his arm and he is holding onto her like she's the most comforting thing in the world.

If I am being honest with myself, I am happy that Tobias had found Cara.

If I had remained gone, I would want Tobias to be happy.

I would want him to have someone to take care of him.

It just doesn't seem fair now.

Nothing about this situation seemed fair.

I never really noticed how pretty Cara is before.

Even asleep I can tell.

Tobias clearly has a thing for blondes.

This makes me smile.

Tobias shifts in his sleep and Cara rolls over and they are no longer cuddled together. I

t makes me feel better but I hate to admit that.

I walk across the living room floor and kneel down next to Tobias.

I place a hand on his bare shoulder and he jolts upright like I fired a gun.

I smile a little.

"Hi…" I whisper

He looks at me, a smile slowly playing across his lips.

"…Hey…is everything alright?"

I nod.

"Yes. I'm fine, I just…can't sleep."

Cara sighs in her sleep.

Tobias looks down at her for a moment and then up at me.

"Do you want to go for a walk?" he asks.

I nod enthusiastically, anything to avoid trying and failing to sleep again.

…

It's dark out and cold but I am wrapped in Tobias' jacket and the night air feels good against my face.

Tobias walks with his hands in his pockets, like he's nervous.

Is he nervous?

That feels strange.

I don't want him to be nervous around me.

"So…" I say, kicking the ground with my feet a little.

"How've things been?"

He turns to me, raising his eyebrows.

Okay.

Maybe that was a stupid question.

"I just mean…what've you been up to?"

He tilts his head a little.

"Do you want me to start at the beginning?"

I do.

I want to know everything but I don't want to force him to talk about things if he isn't ready.

I shrug.

"I just…want to know what I missed. That's all."

He nods, he's quiet for a moment and then he asks.

"Well, what's the last thing you remember?"

I think for a moment.

"A bullet wound. It hurt like hell." I sigh, "And then um…I saw my mom."

He looks up at me.

"Did you?"

I nod.

"Yeah, she told me…that it was okay to let go. That everyone was going to be okay. That…um… that _you_ were going to be okay."

He stares at me for just a moment and then he scratches the back of his neck, like my words make him uncomfortable.

"Uh…It's really all a blur. I got Evelyn to choose me over her vendetta with my father and the city-"

"You got through to her?"

He smiles a little and nods.

"Yeah. We're good now."

I think back to Evelyn and how much I didn't like her and vice versa.

It doesn't matter right now because this is huge for Tobias and I knew exactly how much that must've meant to him at the time.

"I'm really happy for you." I say quietly.

"Thank you."

He takes a turn and I follow him.

There is a park in the distance; it's windy so the swings are swaying on their own, the chains holding them up clinking together.

"Then what happened?" I ask, my hand dangling close to his, hiding in his pocket.

"I got back to the bureau and Cara told me…" He doesn't finish, just shakes his head.

"Cara was the one to tell you?"

He looks up at me and nods.

"Yeah, she was. I guess that's…strange, but I never really thought about it."

We are both silent now. We reach the park and Tobias walks straight towards the swings. He chooses one and I choose the other, my feet digging into the ground so that I don't sway too much.

"I had to see your body to know it was real, but you just…" He closes his eyes.

"You looked asleep. I kept thinking you were just going to get up and tell me I was being ridiculous and… then you didn't."

He shrugs.

"Tris, I wanted to be dead with you."

My heart squeezes and then explodes.

How did I ever leave him?

How did I ever think he would be okay without me?

Breathing? Yes.

Living? Maybe.

But Okay? Never.

He would've never been okay.

I draw in a breath.

"I'm sorry…" I breathe out.

He shrugs, like it doesn't matter anymore but I know it does.

"So then," He says,

"We were all allowed to make our own choices. Go wherever we wanted to. I chose Chicago because…" he pauses, looking just past me, like it's too hard to look at my face or maybe deciding whether or not he wants to give me this much information.

"…because it was all I had left of you."

I take his hand because I don't know what else to do.

I squeeze it and he looks like he might cry.

This is all so heavy.

"Johanna was able to take control of the situation; she's a really great politician. She asked me if I wanted to double-team with her but I just…"

He looks up at the sky.

"I'm not a politician. So, I resolved to be her assistant. It was just something to do."

I nod, though I don't understand why Tobias refuses his leadership skills so completely. He was born to be a leader even I can see that.

"Where does Cara fit in?"

He licks his bottom lip.

"Cara was my best friend for a really long time. She made me feel better. She was funny and honest and smart and she didn't tip-toe around me."

He runs a hand through his hair that was nowhere near abnegation short these days.

"It just sort of happened with her because…she didn't want anything from me. We just fell into it."

I smile.

"You love her. I can tell"

He nods but he looks reluctant to do so.

"I do."

We are silent then.

I am looking at him but he is looking anywhere but at me.

I touch his cheek and bring his gaze back around to me.

I shake my head a little.

"It's okay. It's okay that you love her too. I wasn't around. I get it. I…I would've wanted you to be happy."

His lips are shaking.

Had he been afraid I would be angry?

Or blame him?

I don't.

Not in the slightest.

"I can't shake the feeling that you're going to disappear." He whispers.

I stand up from the swing and move so I am directly in front of him. I place both hands on either side of his face.

"I'm not going anywhere, Tobias. I promise."

He smiles a little but it's a sad smile, like he doesn't quite believe in it.

"This is just like every dream I have…you say that and then you drop from a ten story building or jump into rushing water, or-"

I put a finger to his lips.

"Shh. This is real. It's real. I'm real."

He lets out a sigh that sounds so much like relief that it makes my heart ache.

"Hey…" I whisper.

"I'm right here." I move so that I am sitting in his lap, my arms wrapped around his neck.

His breathing quickens, his heart rate speeds up and I smile because I'm glad that I still have the same effect on him.

I place one hand over his heart.

"Your heart is beating so fast…" I whisper.

He lets out a little laugh, and then nods.

"…Yeah."

I find myself watching his lips; I've never wanted to kiss them so much in my life.

I lean in close; we are nose to nose now.

"Tris…" He says softly.

I shake my head.

"No…don't ruin this moment."

He is about to speak but he hears my words and closes his mouth.

I take that as my opportunity.

I lean in and press my lips lightly to his.

I have been alive again for almost a full 24 hours but I haven't felt truly alive until this moment.

My whole body is a livewire.

I am electric.

Our lips move together in perfect synchronization like we were made to do this our whole lives, like we are and were always, made for each other.

I am buzzing.

His hands are exploring me, feeling every inch of me and I thought that this would feel awkward but it doesn't.

His hands are warm and soft and I have missed him.

I pull away for a moment and he doesn't even open his eyes, like he's savoring the way I taste and feel so that he can remember it.

Just in case.

I touch his cheek and his eyes flutter open.

"I'm sorry." He breathes.

"Was that-did I get carried away? I'm sorry, I just I haven't felt that in so long and…" He shakes his head.

"I don't want anything from you Tris, I don't want you to think that."

I laugh, because everything he's saying is so ridiculous.

I want him just as much as he wants me.

Isn't that obvious?

I stand up and hold my hand out towards him.

He takes my hand and I lead him over to the jungle gym.

There is a little roof covering the top.

We have to crawl underneath to get inside, but once we are there, there is room enough for us to stand.

I press my back against one of the metal bar winding around the jungle gym.

I wonder if I am any version of sexy at all and then I blush.

He touches my cheek, and smiles.

"You're blushing."

I lift my hands to cover my face.

"I know. It's embarrassing."

He grabs my hands and pulls them away.

"It's the most beautiful thing I've seen in six years, Tris."

His love for me consumes me.

My arms find their way around his neck and I am kissing him again.

Tobias pulls away after a moment, letting out a groan.

"We have to stop."

I shake my head, confused.

"What? Why?"

He looks at me, nervously.

"I just…uh…."

And then I realize.

He is having trouble controlling himself and he doesn't want me to feel any pressure. Forever the gentlemen, Four.

Tobias.

I shrug.

"What if I said I didn't care?"

His eyes meet mine and I can see the desire in them.

He places his hands on either side of me, gripping the metal bar that my back is against. He looks up, taking in the little covering of a roof and the barely there walls of the jungle gym.

"Are you sure?" He asks.

I have never been unsure of him.

Never.

"We have six years of time to make up for, don't we?"

His hands slide off the bar and come up my sides.

I shiver, the metal has made his hands cold but I'm not complaining.

I move my head to the side as he presses his nose into my neck and then starts planting small kisses there.

I push him back just a little and I take off the jacket he leant me and lay it on the grass beneath us.

He pulls his sweatshirt over his head and does the same.

His hair is messy now and I grab a handful and pull him in to kiss me again.

I swear I could do this forever, just kiss him.

Is that insane?

Maybe, but I don't care.

I push him back again, and he lets out a noise like it is utterly painful for him not to be touching me.

I muster up every ounce of confidence I can find and pull the t-shirt he'd lent me off.

It falls into the growing pile of clothes.

I am fully exposed to him from the chest up.

He looks at me like I'm the most beautiful thing in the whole universe.

I reach down and wiggle out of the shorts he'd given me before we'd left for the park.

They were Cara's but I try not to think about that right now. They fall onto the pile of clothes and I think I might lose my nerve if he doesn't start shedding some clothes as well.

He takes off his T-shirt and then his jeans and he's standing in front of me in white boxer briefs.

I have never really thought of Tobias' underwear before but these are the type I would've imagined he'd wear.

He looks amazing in them.

How does a person look amazing in underwear?

He looks away from me like he's ashamed of himself but there isn't a flaw on his body.

I lie down on our pile of clothes and he climbs on top of me.

I take a deep breath, I wasn't scared before but I am now.

I've never done this and I didn't think I'd ever have the chance to and yet here we are.

He presses his forehead to mine for a moment.

"I love you, Tris Prior."

I am shaking now.

Is this real?

Is this really happening?

"Are you alright?" he asks me and I bite my lip, nodding.

I am with Tobias and that means everything is perfect.

"It's okay. I promise. I'm right here with you."

He kisses my jaw line.

I let out a shaky breath.

This is right.

I know it is.

I lean forward and kiss him and let myself get lost in his warmth.


	8. Chapter 8

**Cara**

I wake up alone on the floor.

My back aches an incredible amount and I curse myself for not just taking the bed last night.

I sit up running a hand through my hair and glance towards the bedroom.

I hope against hope Four didn't get up in the middle of the night to go be with _her_, in _our_ bed.

Just the thought makes me feel sick.

"Four?" I call out tentatively.

No answer.

I glance at my watch; it's close to 7:30.

Four is never up this early unless it's an emergency.

It's possible that he got called in to work, sometimes Johanna needs him on the weekends but something tells me that isn't where he is.

I stand up, and walk the length of the living room to the bedroom door.

I open the door and peek inside expecting to see a sleeping Tris but I don't see anyone at all.

My heart drops.

They are not here but they're together.

Where could they have gone?

I barely have time to start wondering when the door knob to the front door turns and the door swings open.

They are both standing there and I am only slightly relieved.

Tris is in a pair of my shorts that I haven't been able to fit into for a year and one of Four's T-shirts.

I blink.

They both look like they've slept in a barn.

They were holding hands when they came in but it was so subtle that I almost missed it before Four dropped her hand.

"Um…Hey…" I say, because I don't know what else to say.

"Where were you guys? You should've woken me…I was worried…" I trail off because Tris is looking determinedly at the floor and Four is barely meeting my eyes.

I realize quickly that they were out all night.

Together.

Then I realize that what I'm seeing looks like guilt.

I feel like the wind has been knocked out of me.

I know instantly that something happened last night and I feel so defeated.

There is no coming back from this.

I have lost.

It's over.

I close my eyes for a moment and then I lift my head just a little bit.

"…Did something happen?" I whisper.

I'm not even sure I can speak any louder.

My voice is non-existent.

No one says anything.

No one confirms or denies but I know the truth.

I know it in my gut.

I walk into the kitchen just praying that my legs don't give out.

They are whispering to each other in the living room, hushed, worried whispers but I can't hear them because my ears feel clogged.

I start grabbing pots and pans and I search the fridge for something to make breakfast with just for the sake of having something to do with my hands.

I can't fall apart.

I just can't.

We have eggs.

Eggs are familiar.

I will start with that.

I grab the carton and place it on the counter searching the cabinet for a bowl.

I crack two, three, four eggs and then I stir them quickly, beating them by hand.

It feels good.

I am stirring so fast that egg is spilling out everywhere but I just don't care.

Abruptly, Four's hands are on my wrists stopping my rapid movement.

I am forced to stop and look up at him.

"Hey." He says softly.

I can't stand his stupid face.

I want to take the spoon and throw it at him.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Is this a joke?

Do I want to talk about it?

No!

I want to throw the stupid egg covered spoon in his perfect beautiful face.

"I want you to stop touching me." I say in a tired voice.

He releases my wrists and I throw the bowl and the spoon on the counter.

"Cara-" he starts.

"Stop! Stop saying my name! I don't want to hear you say my name!" I throw the bowl into the sink so hard that it makes a clattering sound.

"Okay, alright, I'm sorry." He says it softly, careful.

It doesn't make me any calmer.

I take a deep breath and turn to him.

"You just left me on the floor, thinking you were next to me to go be with her last night?" My voice sounds shaky and weak and I hate it.

I hate that I can't pull it together right now.

"It wasn't like that, Cara. I swear." He says, he reaches a hand out towards me and then thinks better of it and drops it mid way.

"I just don't understand how this happened. We were okay. We were good." I feel the tears swell inside me before they come.

"Weren't we good?" I breathe.

He turns away; he's always hated seeing me cry, because I don't do it often.

If I am crying, it means that I am really truly spiraling.

"Yes, Cara. We were good. I can't—" He pauses, letting out a breath.

"Things are just different now and I am sorry because I know that they aren't for you. But things are different for me. Everything changed. I need you to understand. I need you not to hate me."

I lose it, I am sobbing and I feel so stupid, SO stupid because why did I think for a second I could get the happy ending?

"Did you sleep with her?" My voice is quiet, I am terrified of his answer but I think I already know it.

He is staring at me and I can see tears forming in his eyes and I hate that that makes me feel guilty.

"Cara, it doesn't change how much I care about you."

I nod, covering my face for a moment before blowing out a breath.

"Okay…" I am filled with emotions, sadness, bitterness, anger.

It's all at once and it so intense.

I hold a hand to my stomach just trying to center myself.

"Cara…" He touches my shoulders.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I really never meant to hurt you."

I am hurt but more than that, I am angry.

No matter how many times he apologizes to me it will never be enough.

It will never be enough for leading me on for four years.

It will never be enough for shattering my happiness.

I don't think I've ever hated him this much in my life.

I ball my fingers into a fist and then I haul off and hit him.

I've never punched anyone before but that doesn't mean I don't know a lot about technique or that Will hadn't shown me how to throw a good punch.

He stumbles back from the impact, his head turned to the side.

After a moment, he reaches up and touches his jaw.

I hope he bruises.

He lets out a breath and then looks up at me.

"Feel better?"

"Loads." I breathe and then I turn and walk into the bedroom, slamming the door behind me.

**Tris**

I feel seven shades of terrible.

Cara has been locked in the bedroom for hours and Four has been sitting on the couch staring at the bedroom door hoping it will open.

I've been on the couch next to him, hating myself.

Cara already hated me for a million other reasons and I just kept piling them on.

I am terrible.

"Maybe I should stay with Christina or Caleb for awhile." I say softly.

Tobias stands up, shaking his head.

"What? No! Don't be ridiculous." He glances at the bedroom door.

"It's an adjustment for everyone. Cara will be okay. She will."

"Maybe. Maybe she will but I don't think I'm being ridiculous." I say quietly.

"Think about it. Where are we all going to sleep? I don't want to force her to…have to be around us. This is her apartment. I can leave. That can be okay."

He's upset because he knows I'm telling the truth.

Cara shouldn't be forced to stay here with us.

If there even _is_ an us.

There is just no plausible way that this could work if we all stay in the same apartment.

"Don't leave." He says quietly. "I just got you back…"

I smile, "I won't be far and it's not forever…"

The bedroom door opens and Tobias and I both jump.

Cara comes out, her eyes red-rimmed with tears. She sniffles, but she doesn't look at either of us. She's dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, her hair pulled up in a messy ponytail. She walks to the door, picks her coat up off the rack by the door and slips her arms through it.

"Where are you going?" Tobias asks.

Cara turns around making a noise of disbelief.

"You care where I'm going? What does it matter? I'm not your girlfriend anymore."

Tobias shrugs, "Maybe. But you're still someone I care about."

"Oh, you _care_ about me? You care about me so much that you slept with someone else? Your logic is _really_ off."

I stand up awkwardly.

This is weird.

I know it but I feel like I have to say something

"Cara." I say, my voice sounds desperate, she turns to me.

"I'm sorry." I say softly.

She stares at me.

"…You're _really_ running out of sorrys here, Tris"

I bite my lip.

What am I supposed to say?

She is going to hate me no matter what.

"You already took my brother and now you take my boyfriend. Is there anything else you want?"

"Hey." Tobias steps in. "That's enough, Cara. That was a low blow."

Cara laughs but it is not a joyful one, she points to me.

"She kills MY brother and sleeps with MY boyfriend and _I _dealt _her_ a low blow? Four, you can't be serious!"

She heads towards the door again.

"Cara, where are you going?" he asks again, insistent this time.

She shrugs.

"Does it matter!? No matter what I do, where I go, you and her…" she points to Four and then back to me. Her hand makes a circle movement over the both of us.

"…This." She shakes her head.

"I can't win." She stares at us for a few moments and then she turns, walking out of the door slamming it behind her.

**Tobias/Four**

I don't know how to justify what I did with Tris because I know it wasn't right.

It wasn't fair to Cara.

I never wanted to hurt her but trying to fight what Tris and I have is like trying to deny yourself air.

I just can't do it.

Cara left an hour ago.

Tris is on the couch, eating.

I'd made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches because it was the first time Tris had expressed hunger and I realized we didn't have anything to eat _except_ for peanut butter and jelly.

Cara usually did the grocery shopping but she's been a little pre-occupied.

We all have.

Tris looks up at me.

There is jelly on her cheek.

"This is delicious."

She smiles a little.

I smile back at her and then I jump when the phone rings.

I pick it up, hoping it's Cara.

"Cara?" I say into the speaker, trying not to sound too desperate.

"Uh…no. It's Zeke but hey."

"Oh." I sigh.

Shit.

Where the hell is Cara?

"Hey. Sorry…What's going on?"

"Shauna and I were wondering how Tris is."

I try to ignore the feeling of hurt that comes.

I haven't really had time to think about it but now, the fact that Shauna and Zeke knew about all this too and hadn't bothered to tell me, is hitting me.

No one had bothered to inform me that the love of my life might be back in my life in a few days.

Some friends.

I look up at Tris eating her PB &amp; J.

She looks so normal, like she'd never left at all, like she's always been here eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on my couch; so I can't hate them too much.

"She's good." I say softly.

"She's better than she was at least."

"That's great!" Zeke sounds excited.

"Shauna and I were wondering if it was okay if we came by to see her."

I let out a sigh, watching Tris peel the crust off her sandwich.

"Sure." I say. "Any time."

"Great. We'll make sure to stop by…" He trails off and I know more is coming.

"Four? I'm sorry we didn't tell you."

We are both quiet and then I muster up a 'thank you' and the conversation is over.

I sit next to Tris on the couch.

"That was Zeke. He and Shauna are going to come by and see you."

She looks up at me and nods.

"Okay." She finishes her sandwich and wipes her hands on the dress she is wearing. The same one Christina had provided her with that day in the lab.

I am going to have to take her shopping.

She looks up at me, her eyes shy and nervous.

"Come here…" I say wrapping an arm around her.

She settles against my shoulder and I am overwhelmed with the fact that she is still here, right beside me, where I know she belongs.


	9. Chapter 9

**Christina**

David is angry, angrier than I've ever seen him.

He pulls himself out of his wheelchair, and grabs his walking stick, leaning on it.

He doesn't really need the wheelchair anymore but he says it helps him conserve energy.

"You have to get her away from Four. It's the only way."

I sigh.

How in the world am I supposed to do that?

"She doesn't want to stay with me. I tried. She's too busy playing house with Four and his girlfriend."

"So change it! Make her want to stay with you!" David's hands are shaking.

I glance at Matthew; I always bring him with me because I am afraid of David, though I will never admit that out loud.

"We need her to believe in everything we are doing here Christina. If you give her time to connect with Four that might give her time to connect with Johanna and we are losing our window of susceptibility!"

When David had given us all the information we needed to bring Tris back, he told us that there was a "window of susceptibility" where Tris could be swayed to a certain way of thinking but only in the beginning. Apparently that window was slipping away and it's all my fault.

"Okay. I'll try." I whisper.

I don't know why I always feel so small when he speaks to me.

"No. You'll do better than try, Christina. You'll do it!"

I nod.

"Make it impossible for her to stay with Four. Use Cara. Do whatever you have to."

I stand up and Matthew follows me to the door.

"Christina?" David says.

I turn to face him again.

"I don't blame you. This isn't your fault. This is what we're working towards. When you're genetically pure, mistakes like this won't happen. Don't worry. You bring Tris to me and I will fix all of it. I promise."

I swallow hard.

That's all I've ever really wanted.

**Cara**

Four has called me a total of five times in the last hour.

It's getting really late.

I know I should go back home or at least call.

Four insists the streets are dangerous at night but the GD rebel groups he is so worried about are harmless.

If they'd wanted to act, they would have by now.

Also, I was having trouble caring about what worried Four right now.

My whole world is falling apart at the seams and I am just supposed to accept it and move on but I can't.

No one seems to understand or respect that I am in love with Four.

Our relationship wasn't pretend or filler for me, it was everything.

Maybe I should've expected, always known, that this would happen but I was never treating our relationship as temporary because I didn't think that I had to.

My phone buzzes again and I contemplate picking up for a moment but what would I say?

I'm sorry for punching you in the face?

I'm not.

It's okay that you choose Tris?

It isn't.

There is nothing that I can say to him.

I've been walking through town for hours, stopping here and there to catch my breath or take a break.

I turn into an alley next, it is narrow and the small space calms me.

I stop walking for a moment, leaning against the concrete wall of the alley.

I've been feeling nauseous all day but who could blame me?

I am under a ridiculous amount of stress.

I lean over, willing myself not to throw up.

I haven't eaten much today other than some bread I'd picked up from the cart in the middle of town this morning.

Clearly, I am going to have to be a bit more selective of the things I choose to eat, especially when I'm dealing with things beyond my understanding, like Tris and Four.

I didn't think it was possible to hate someone more than I already hated stupid Tris, with her big nose and pretty skin and perfect hair… and then she slept with my boyfriend.

Hate is too light a word.

I lean against the wall, sighing heavily.

This nausea is familiar.

I remember feeling this even before Tris came back, back when we were just _planning _to bring her back.

I would lie in bed next to Four thinking about everything Christina said and I would get so scared that I would throw-up almost every morning.

Four thought I had the flu.

Maybe I did know that this would happen even back then, maybe that's why I was having this kind of reaction.

Not only is she divergent, beautiful and obnoxiously perfect, she also induces nausea. There should be a freaking infomercial.

"Cara?"

I turn around quickly and find myself face to face with Christina.

"Christina? What are you doing here?"

She shrugs.

"I needed to go for a walk and then I saw you turn in here. What are _you _doing here?"

I shrug.

"My apartment feels a little small right now."

Christina looks sympathetic.

"It must be really hard for you. You're trapped in the middle of this epic love affair."

"Thank you Christina. That makes me feel SO much better."

The sarcasm is dripping in my voice.

Christina holds up her hands in defense.

"I'm sorry. Candor roots, things tend to just slip out…I just feel really terrible for you. I liked you and Four together."

I frown.

It hadn't ever seemed that way, especially since she had been one of the ones telling Four he was entering into a relationship too soon when we first started dating.

"No you didn't." I say, wondering what her angle is.

She sighs.

"Sure I did, I just…didn't want everyone to forget Tris."

"Well you certainly got your wish." I roll my eyes.

No one would ever forget Tris.

Certainly not Four.

She sighs, "I think you're good for him. I really do."

"Well…thank you, I guess."

I cross my arms over my chest.

"You know…for what it's worth. I think he still loves you. You guys had four years together, that's more than Tris had with him. I think you still have a fighting chance."

I laugh.

Yeah.

That's what I'd thought.

Yet, Tris is in our apartment with Four and I am standing in an alley talking to Christina.

"Doubtful. Trust me."

"So that's it? You're just going to…let her win?"

I look at her, confused.

"Since when did you jump off the Tris Prior fan club bandwagon?"

She shakes her head.

"I didn't. I just…jumped off the _Four and Tris_ bandwagon."

For some reason, that comment makes me wonder if I trust her.

This is coming out of nowhere; Christina is…_or was_ supposedly 'Team Tris.'

What changed?

"Why?" I ask

"Look, I just think you're good for him and you shouldn't give up."

I nod.

"Okay. Thanks Christina, I guess."

She nods.

"Oh…can you do something for me?"

She reaches into her bag, and pulls out a tiny piece of paper and hands it to me.

"Can you give this to Tris? It's my phone number. She might not want to stay with me and that's fine but I'd still like to see her."

I hold the piece of paper in my hands.

I don't want to give Tris anything.

"I mean, the apartment might be too small for her too sometimes."

I pause, thinking.

If Tris was staying with Christina or even just hanging out with her, maybe I really did have a fighting chance.

Four and I haven't been alone together ever since she got here.

Maybe that's what we need.

Maybe I can get him to pay more than five seconds of attention to me again.

My stomach turns and I wrinkle my nose and clutch the wall next to me.

There it is again, the Tris-induced nausea.

Christ.

What is wrong with me?

Christina is staring at me when I finally look back up at her.

"You should try saltines." She says.

"What?" I say, confused.

"Saltines. Crackers." I stare at her, still confused.

"…If you're feeling nauseous." She continues. "…You are feeling nauseous right? Or…do you just gag all the time?"

I sigh, shrugging.

"I haven't been feeling that great. I've been sick for awhile…"

"Well, my mom used to eat saltines when she was pregnant with my sister. She said they really helped with morning sickness. I'm sure they help in general to settle your stomach."

Her words hit me like a ton of bricks.

Nauseous.

Pregnant.

Morning sickness.

No.

That would be insane.

No.

It can't be.

It can't possibly be.

I am suddenly counting backwards trying to remember my monthly cycles and why I haven't been more worried about this. I can't remember the last time I'd had one or the last time I'd bothered to track it.

Oh, dear god.

I can't be.

I just can't.

There's no way.

Four would have a conniption.

I think _I _might behaving a conniption.

But I am nauseous.

And I haven't had a cycle.

Oh god, am I?

I feel like I can't breathe, but I have to keep it together in front of Christina. S

he has no idea what she just helped me realize and I don't want her to put two and two together just yet.

So I just nod.

"Yeah…yeah I'm sure it's just um…" my mouth feels dry.

I lick my bottom lip.

"I'll give this to Tris." I say holding up the piece of paper with Christina's phone number on it.

She smiles.

"Okay. Thanks. See you around."

She makes her way in the opposite direction, as I feel my phone buzz for the seventh time.

**Tobias/Four**

Tris had fallen asleep hours ago and Cara still isn't home.

I've called her more times than I can count but she hasn't picked up.

Not once.

I pick up the phone and punch in her number again but I hear the door open before I get to the last number.

I jump up from the couch, turning towards the door.

Cara is just coming in the apartment; she slowly shuts the door like she's trying not to wake anyone.

I should be asleep but I can't without knowing where she is and that she's safe.

I care about her.

I still care about her.

She turns around, jumps when she sees me.

A hand goes up to her chest as she breathes a sigh of relief.

"Jesus Four! Wear a cat bell or something!" She reaches for the lamp next to the door and turns it on.

The living room is bathed in yellow light now.

I blink so my eyes can adjust.

I look over at her tilting my head a little.

"What?" she says, in an exasperated voice.

I hate the way she looks at me, like she hates me.

I have never seen this look before.

Not from her.

"You've been gone for hours." I shake my head.

She lets out a groan.

"I needed some time and air. This apartment feels like it's closing in on me." She looks away from me and I reach out for her hand without thinking about it.

"Where'd you go?"

She pulls her hand back from mine.

"Nowhere, I just walked around." She shrugs

I stare down at my hand for a moment.

She'd pulled hers away like it was hot poker.

I cross my arms.

This is so ridiculous.

She was part of the plot to bring Tris back.

I wouldn't go as far as to say she brought this upon herself but what had she thought was going to happen?

She knew how I felt.

She had to have known some version of this would happen.

Didn't she?

"I really never meant to hurt you, Cara. I really need you to understand that."

I pause for a moment.

"…and I need you to accept some responsibility. You've been playing the victim very well, Cara but _you_ were still willing to bring Tris back-"

She lets out a little laugh, cutting me off.

"Yeah, you're right. It's my fault. It's my fault for thinking that you would _ever _choose me over perfect Tris Prior."

I close my eyes for a moment, trying not to get angry.

"You helped Christina and Matthew bring her back! You knew what that would do to me…what I went through! You knew everything, you knew more than anyone! And yet you still went along with it! How did you _think_ I would feel? I love her! And I never stopped! And you knew that!"

I'm screaming now and I forget that Tris is sleeping.

"We didn't bring her back for you!" Cara screams back at me.

The realness of her words settles over me.

She is right.

They didn't bring her back for me.

Christina brought her back to use her to get what she wanted out of the uprising.

Shauna, Zeke, Cara, Matthew…they all rallied behind her because they thought it was the right thing to do.

No one brought her back with the intention of my happiness, or Tris'.

She shakes her head.

"…You weren't even supposed to know about it."

It hurts.

It hurts way too much that they were willing to keep this huge secret from me.

They were willing to keep Tris from me 'for the greater good.'

"You thought you could just bring her back, use her for what you needed and then hide her from me for the rest of forever?"

Cara licks her bottom lip and shrugs.

"I don't know. I hadn't thought that far ahead."

I tilt my head. "Did you think…" I start, "…that we would get married and god forbid have children, while you hid Tris from me?"

Cara shrugs. "I knew you'd find out eventually. I just really didn't think you'd choose her."

I laugh, because this is unbelievable.

She is unbelievable.

"You're delusional." I shake my head.

"Stop! I'm not this terrible, awful person! Why do you think I told you? Because I hate lying to you, because _I_ didn't want to hurt you…because _I_ thought you should know! Christina made me swear and I told you anyway. I decided to trust that you would still choose me after everything we've been through."

She turns away, shaking her head.

"I love you, Four. But I will never be her and that's what the problem has always been."

I lean my head back, looking up at the ceiling.

"Why can't we just be friends? The way that we were?"

I do care about her, and we had been friends once. Real friends. Cara and I, why couldn't we be important to each other in a different way?

"Because life doesn't work that way, we can't just go back." She says, hurt lacing her voice.

She takes a step towards me, her hands reaching up to touch my face.

Cara, the girl who I have spent four years with.

Her touch is familiar and comforting but it's not the same.

With Tris, everything feels electric. Fiery.

This, with Cara, it just feels normal.

It feels like settling.

She matches my gaze and then slides one hand on my cheek.

"Humor me." She says softly.

She leans up and her lips press against mine and I feel what I always feel when I kiss Cara.

It is nice, comforting.

She is warm.

But she's not Tris.

She pulls away, her eyes still closed for a moment and I can tell that the small kiss had meant something to her far beyond what it had meant to me.

Her eyelids flutter open, her hands are still on my face.

She's looking at me, trying to read my reaction and I feel guilty for what she probably finds there.

She drops her hands, looking defeated.

"There was really nothing for you in that, was there?"

I let out a breath.

"I'm sorry, Cara."

She nods slowly.

"So that's it, then?" she asks, her voice sounds so small.

I don't know.

I don't know how to let her go but my heart belongs to Tris and Cara deserves more than that.

I raise my shoulders just a little.

Her bottom lip starts to tremble and I wish that I didn't have to face this.

I don't want to hurt her.

I don't want to hurt anybody.

She opens her mouth to say something and then closes it again, chewing on her bottom lip.

Then she reaches up and wraps her arms around me and rests her cheek on my chest.

I'm confused at first and then I realize that this is her way of saying goodbye to me.

I reach my arms around her, resting my hands on her back, my chin on the top of her head.

I can feel her shoulders start to shake as she starts to cry and this is the hardest thing I've ever done.

I am barely keeping it together.

I stroke her hair lightly.

Cara, my sweet, faithful Cara who had saved me from myself more times that I can count.

I pull back so that I can see her face.

The pain is there clear as day and I wish she was still angry because that was easier than this.

"Cara..." I say softly.

She shakes her head, tears falling onto her t-shirt.

"It's okay. You were honest." She says so quietly I barely hear it.

"You were happy though right?" She sniffs.

"At some point, you were happy with me?"

I think for a moment because I want to be 100% honest with her right now.

I think back to all the moments she saved me from myself when I thought I couldn't survive without Tris.

All the moments when she watched me burn dinner and never said a thing about it.

Were we happy?

I smile a little.

"Cara. I could never explain to you how important you are to me. You wouldn't understand. You made life worth living again and I could never thank you enough for that."

She sighs and then wipes her eyes, nodding.  
"I'm so tired. I think I just need to sleep for awhile."

I nod, "Of course. Are you alright?"

She looks up at me and then shrugs. "I don't know. I really need to talk to you but now's not the time."

"Okay. In the morning then." I say, nodding. I give her a small smile.

She forces one back to me and then she moves over to the couch to set up her bed for the night.

**Cara**

The two little pink lines are taunting me.

It's early.

Tris and Four are both asleep and I am locked in the bathroom.

This is the third test I've taken and they all say the same thing.

Pregnant.

I am pregnant.

There are clearly no if's ands or buts' about it.

I am up a creek without a paddle.

How poetic.

Four and I officially break up last night and this morning, I verify that I'm carrying his child.

When did my life become this?

I lean against the sink, trying to think.

I am still so in love with him but there is nothing I can do.

I can't fight him on it and I am tired of competing against Tris and the pedestal he has her on.

Not to mention Four's clear stance on children.

He wants none of them.

I don't know how this happened.

We were so careful.

Always.

I don't know how I didn't notice that this was happening.

How could I not know my own body?

I stare at the tests, the six pink lines staring back at me.

How was I supposed to tell him that his biggest fear was about to come true with the girl he was no longer in love with?

For a brief, barely there, fleeting moment I imagine a world where he would stay with me because of this child.

I realize quickly that I don't want him if I win him by default.

There is a knock on the bathroom door.

I freeze.

Who is up this early?

I stay quiet, pressing my back against the sink.

There is another knock.

"Cara?"

Four.

It's Four.

I can't see him right now.

I'll fall apart on the spot.

"Uh…yeah! I'll be out in a second!"

My voice sounds shaky.

I scramble around trying to scoop up all the different tests and the boxes they'd come in.

How am I going to leave the bathroom with all of these stupid things in my hand without him noticing?

Damn it.

He raps his knuckles against the door again.

"Cara? Are you okay in there?"

"Fine, fine! Just uh…" I throw the boxes into the trash can with the tests and cover it all up with a mound of toilet paper.

I open the door, looking flushed.

"Yeah, I just…felt a little sick is all." I brush a strand of hair out of my face.

Four raises his eyebrows at me.

"Oh. Well, do you need anything?" He asks.

He is being so genuine and it takes everything in me not to break down and tell him everything right there.

"No." I cross my arms over my chest.

I am so nervous that I can barely look him in the eye.

"Even if I did, why would I ask you? You're not my boyfriend, remember?"

He looks taken aback. I am being mean and he thought we were passed this part.

"Okay, Cara." He says, emphasizing the "Oh" in okay.

"I'm going to shower, you okay with that?"

I nod.

"Sure, why wouldn't I be?"

"I…don't know." He pauses tilting his head.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

I nod.

"Of course."

"Okay." He looks like he doesn't quite believe me but thankfully he lets it go.

"I have to go into work. I was planning on taking Tris with me, so you'll have the place to yourself."

I chew on my bottom lip.

"Oh how adorable." My voice sounds snotty and hostile. I don't even recognize it but the words just keep coming out.

"A work date. Have a good time." I smile, sarcastically.

He sighs.

"It's not-" He pauses running a hand through his hair.

"Are you going do this forever?"

"Do what?" I ask, playing as dumb as I can manage.

"Punish me with your silly little attitude. I don't know how many other ways I can tell you I'm sorry."

I watch him for a moment, there is a bruise forming on his chin where I hit him yesterday.

I let out a breath.

"I'm sorry I hit you."

"What?" He asks confused.

"I said I'm sorry that I hit you."

"Oh…" He reaches a hand up to absently touch the bruise.

"Thank you. I appreciate that."

I reach up and poke him hard, right in the bruise.

"Ow! What the hell, Cara?"

"I apologized. Did it make the bruise go away? Did it make it hurt less?"

He shakes his head as my point dawns on him.

"I don't know what you want from me."

He pushes past me to move into the bathroom and I stand outside praying the toilet paper I'd used to hide the tests doesn't shift.


	10. Chapter 10

**Tobias/Four**

Tris is watching me and the steering wheel so closely it's almost amusing.

I turn a little to look at her, taking my eyes of the road for just a moment.

"What?" I say a little smile playing on my lips.

"Nothing. It's just…you're driving." She says softly.

Oh.

That's right.

I am.

I had forgotten that Tris has rarely seen me drive. I do it so often now that it feels normal.

"Is that strange?"

She tilts her head.

"A little. I sort of thought we'd always be jumping on and off trains." She smiles.

Dauntless seems so long ago to me.

For her, it was barely a year ago.

She turns looking out the window.

"Do you want to learn how?" I ask her, taking a right turn.

She looks over at me.

"Learn how to drive?" she asks, she looks scared almost but I know her better than that.

I laugh.

"Yeah, it's not too hard."

I pull over to the side of the road.

"Come on, I'll teach you right now."

I hop out of the driver's side moving around the car to her side.  
She looks excited as hops out of the car and rushes over to the driver's side.

After we are buckled in I take a few moments to explain to her what and where everything is on my truck.

The blinker, the gas, the brake and all the mirrors, I lean back in my seat.

"Okay, now turn the key."

She looks over at me, grinning.

She is excited and nervous and I love seeing her like this.

I smile.

"Don't kill me, okay? Or my truck. I love this truck."

"More than me?" She raises her eyebrows.

I shrug.

"Crash it and you'll find out.

She shakes her head, turns the key and the truck comes to life with a low rumble.

"Now just ease on the gas."

She steps on the gas, slightly too hard and we jet forward.

"Ease!" I hold my hands up.

"I said _ease_ on the gas!" I laugh.

She lets up her foot a little from the gas pedal and we slow down.

"Maybe this was a bad idea…" I mumble, glancing behind me to make sure no other cars were affected.

Tris frowns.

"Hey, I've been dead for six years; I think I'm allowed to mess up driving for the first time."

It is the first time she's acknowledged out loud the fact that she has been _dead_ and she is _joking _about it.

This is Tris.

I grin in spite of myself.

"Yeah, well let's try and keep you not dead, okay? Along with me. Slow down."

She looks over at me a grin taking over her face.

"I'll try my best. I've got precious cargo after all."

She turns her eyes back to the road.

She has no idea.

No idea that _I _am not the precious cargo.

She is.

This is insane.

I am teaching Tris how to drive.

Last week I didn't think I'd ever teach Tris anything but here she is. I am still having trouble believing it.

There were a few jetting starts and breaking too hard but for the most part, Tris is a natural.

I like seeing her like this, learning things, alive, happy.

"Oh, oh turn here, right in here!" I point.

The politics building is the tallest building right in the center of the city.

It is a skyscraper of massive proportions, built in all crystal so it sparkles in the sunlight, like a beacon.

A beacon of hope, Johanna once told me.

It was built for Johanna because she needed a place in the city where she could direct things from.

The security surrounding it is insane but it has to be.

Not everyone is happy with Johanna Reyes handling things but this is what is working. For now.

There are guards at every entry point and every staff member has to have a badge with their name on it.

The badge gets them in to any office they need with a key mechanism. It also gets you through security.

This is where I report to Johanna almost every day.

I direct Tris through the security bridge where I usually just flash my badge and move right on through but today things are different because I have a guest.

The guard asks me for my badge and I hand it to him.

He presses it against a portable screen and I know he's seeing all of my information displayed there, everything I do for Johanna and what I have clearance for in the building.

"Guest name?" He asks, barely looking up at us.

"Tris Prior." I say

The guard presses a button on his portable screen and speaks into it

"I have Tobias Eaton reporting for shift with a Tris Prior. For Johanna."

There is silence for a moment, and then a crackling noise from the screen.

"Who?" I hear Johanna's voice come through the speaker.

Of course she thinks she's heard wrong.

Tris is supposed to be dead.

"Tobias Eaton and Tris Prior." The guard repeats.

"Tris Prior?" Johanna's voice comes through the screen again.

The guard looks at me, eye brows raised.

Obviously he isn't usually questioned this much.

"Yes. Tobias Eaton and Tris Prior." The guard repeats again.

The screen crackles once more.

"…Are you sure? Quite sure…? ...Tris Prior? Beatrice Prior?"

The guard looks at us again, Tris nods.

"Yeah, that's…that's me."

The guard nods, and presses the button on the screen again.

"I'm sure. Should I let them through, Ms. Reyes?"

There is no audible answer from Johanna but the gates open and the guard waves us through.

Tris rolls through the gates well enough but I switch seats with her once more, in order to park.

That is another driving lesson for another day.

I take her hand and lead her into the building.

There are people milling about everywhere, the politics building is always buzzing with life.

It makes you feel important just to walk into the lobby.

I nod to a few co-workers here and there as we walk in.

I don't know anybody all that well but some of them I run errands for every now and then.

Tris walks so close to me I think she might trip over my feet. I stop, turning towards her for a moment.

"Are you alright?" I ask curiously.

She nods quickly, eyes darting everywhere.

"Yeah. Yes. I'm sorry. It's just a lot of people all at once."

I keep forgetting that all this new to her.

People.

Being out in public.

She's still shaky on her legs.

Maybe I am forcing her to do too much.

"Do you want to wait here while I go and see Johanna? You can sit in the lobby. Libby will take care of you. She's the receptionist." I point to a desk in the middle of the lobby to a middle aged woman with a computer in front of her.

Tris glances up at the desk, and then shakes her head.

"No. I want to stay with you." She says softly.

I nod, squeezing her hand and lead her into the elevator.

Johanna's office is on the fifth floor.

I press the button with a 5 on it and the elevator takes off with a clunking sound.

We make it up to Johanna's office within moments and I slide my card through the lock and it makes a beeping sound before opening.

Johanna is on the phone when we come in.

She stops mid-sentence when her eyes land on Tris.

She mumbles something into the phone before dropping it on the receiver.

"Beatrice Prior." She says, shock coating her voice.

Tris stands up a little straighter, and drops my hand.

"It's good to see you, Johanna." Tris says

Johanna looks at me, shaking her head.

"Tobias, you have explaining to do."

I let out a sigh.

"Do you have a few hours?"

…

Johanna is in shock but I hadn't really expected anything else.

We started at the beginning with me finding Tris in the labs with Matthew and Christina and by the end of it all Johanna looked like she was going to pass out.

"Tobias, this is…" She trails off, looking Tris up and down. "…this is impossible." She finishes.

"I know…" I say shrugging. "But she's here."

Johanna looks at Tris again, who looks away.

Johanna frowns for a moment and then goes over to her desk, searching through papers until she finds the one she's looking for.

She tilts her head.

"Did Christina say exactly what she thought you'd be able to help with?"

Tris shrugs.

"I haven't really talked to her about it."

She looks over at me, and then back at Johanna.

"I don't really want to get involved in anything. That's how I got in trouble before."

Trouble.

Dead, was more like it.

Johanna nods, and then makes eye-contact with me.

"Tobias, you need to be careful."

"Why? What aren't you telling me?"

I am her assistant but Johanna rarely tells me everything that is going on.

She lets out a sigh.

"There are a lot of reasons someone would want to bring Tris back, not a lot of them are good."

I raise my eyebrows,

"Johanna, what do you know?"

My eyes are pleading with her.

I have to know because if something happens to Tris again, I don't think I will survive it.

Johanna takes a deep breath.

"Tobias, David seems to be…reverting." She says it quietly.

"…Reverting?" I say

"David?" Tris questions.

Johanna nods.

"The memory serum, it completely reset the bureau. It was a good plan. They had to relearn everything they knew which was good but because of that there was always a chance, albeit a small one, that things would return to how they were."

Tris and I exchange a look with each other before Johanna continues.

"It's the person. Sometimes, even if you give someone the chance to start all over, they just…become who they were meant to become. The thoughts lead in the same direction as they did before. In David's case…that's what happened."

She hands me the piece of paper she's been holding.

It is a listing of all the deaths in the last month. They were all listed as supposed "GD's".

_Katherine Tiegel-'Genetically Damaged'-Murdered-Open Case_

_Jeremy Beats-'Genetically Damaged'-Murdered-Open Case_

_Stacie Rerel-'Genetically Damaged'-Murdered-Open Case_

It went on and on like that for an entire page.

I look up at Johanna shaking my head.

"So…what are you saying? David is behind these murders?"

Johanna sighs, "Innocent until proven guilty but that's where the evidence points."

"But why?" I shake my head.

"He wants to create a genetically pure world, where there's no room for "damage". He thinks it's the only way. He's become obsessed with idea of a perfect society."

I close my eyes.

"It's happening all over again isn't it?" I say in a quiet voice.

Johanna lets out a soft sigh.

"I didn't want to involve you. You've already been through so much."

Tris reaches out for the piece of paper and I hand it to her.

Her eyes scan the document and then she shakes her head.

"But what does this have to do with me? David shouldn't even remember who I am…right?"

Johanna nods.

"I don't think that he does but if he's done his research he knows an awful lot about you. We had to keep some record of what happened, what you did. Just in case. I don't think he realizes he was as big a part of it all as he was. The record doesn't even say why you did what you did or that you used memory serum to do it. It just gives a very vague account that says you were important to the cause. That you died for it. If David has put two and two together and figured out that you were such a big part of everything….He could twist it and make you the martyr, and say that you died for the right to be genetically pure. I'm sure a lot of people would want to follow him and you. You're the quintessential divergent and those who were inoculated from the serum, they know what happened. They'd follow you anywhere. I'm sure he's willing to do whatever it takes to get you on his team, Tris."

Tris frowns, staring down at the paper.

"But it was Christina's idea to bring me back. Not David's."

I nod.

She has a point.

Johanna goes over to her desk and types something on her computer.

She turns the screen towards us and a picture appears there.

It is of Christina and Matthew and a man in a wheelchair.

It is a black and white photo as if from a security camera. The man in the wheelchair is David. I know, because his face will never leave my mind. He is the one that killed Tris.

My head is spinning.

"We've been monitoring David's activity for awhile now, fearing that this might happen. We noticed Christina and Matthew have been having a few meetings with him a month but we never imagined it was about bringing Tris back from the dead."

It makes sense.

Where would Christina have gotten the right information to do what they'd done in the labs that day?

Matthew was smart but _no one_ had tried to bring back the dead before.

No one.

Tris holds up the piece of paper.

"Why isn't anyone doing anything about these names? People are going to keep dying unless you stop him."

Johanna nods.

She looks stressed out.

"We realize that. Only, we can't prove it's him. He's covering his tracks very well. They all look like accidents. We're doing the best we can."

I look over at Tris, and I can see the wheels turning in her brain.

I am afraid of where this is leading to.

I don't want her involved.

Not again.

She looks up at Johanna.

"We have to give him what he wants." She says quietly.

"What do you mean?" I say quickly.

I am so terrified.

My hands are shaking.

She shakes her head.

"He wants me. If we don't give him what he wants…people are going to keep dying. I can't let people die for me."

I know.

I know this about her.

She wasn't able to let Caleb die for her either.

She was not the person to turn a cheek just because these were faceless people to her.

She was too good of a person for her own well being.

"What makes you think David isn't going to use you for what he thinks you are? A martyr. He's going to use you and then he's going to kill you."

Tris looks at me, her bottom lip trembling; she bites down on it to make it stop.

"Tobias…" I don't like the way she says my name, like she's trying to placate a small child.

"…Everyday that I've had back has been like…a gift. But…Maybe this is all I'm meant for, maybe this is just my purpose-"

"No! NO!"

The anger builds up inside me and I am seething, shaking from head to toe.

She does not get to leave me again.

It is not an option.

It is not happening.

"You are not doing this. You're not. No. I refuse to let you." My voice breaks.

"Tobias, think about it. I don't think I was ever really meant to stay here and if other people are going to die just because I'm here…what kind of person does that make me?"

I shake my head, closing my eyes.

This is not happening.

"How could you even think about doing this to me again?" I feel like I can't breathe.

She closes her eyes like she's steeling herself from the pain, like she doesn't want to see what she's doing to me.

"No! You-open your eyes dammit! Look at me! _Look_ at me! Do you see what you being gone does to me? I will not be okay. I will not be better off without you! Don't you dare try and get out of your guilt by thinking that way."

She opens her eyes and I can see the tears sitting on the edge of her eyelids.

"I just don't want anyone to die for me. I'm not even supposed to be here, it's not fair!"

"Life isn't fair, Tris!"

"Tobias, please. I'm sorry but you have to understand-"

"No! YOU understand! You are not going on a suicide mission! _Again!"_

"Then what are we going to do, huh? This is bigger than you and me. The world is at stake!"

"The world is ALWAYS at stake!" I'm half laughing, half-crying because I am hysterical.

I cannot believe this is happening all over again.

I am pleading with her to save her own life, _again._

"We have to do _something_." She says quietly.

I nod.

She wants to play this game.

Fine.

We'll play it.

"You're right. We do. But you don't get to play the martyr twice. It's my turn. I'll go. I can be David's martyr, _I _can die for his stupid cause and then he'll have what he wants. The deaths will stop. Or maybe they won't but we've done our best. It's a win-win."

Tris looks at me in disbelief.

"How is that a win-win?"

She looks like the thought of me dying will break her to pieces.

Good.

This is what I need her to feel.

She can go off and die and feel good about it because it was for the right reasons.

She doesn't know what it feels like to have a part of you ripped away and then just have to keep on living because that's what the rest of the world tells you to do.

She has no idea what that's like.

I nod a little.

"Doesn't feel good, does it?"

She stares at me.

"What?"

"When the person you love offers their self up to die. Whatever the cause, it doesn't feel good. Does it?"

She breathes a sigh of relief.

"No…it doesn't." She closes her eyes.

I reach out to her, touching her arms.

"Tris," I breathe, "Just give me some time. Give me some time to figure something else out. Give me a chance to find another way."

She looks up at me and nods.

I turn to Johanna.

"You're _positive_ that Christina is working with David?"

Johanna nods.

"It sure seems that way."

I reach for my cell phone and dial Christina's number.

It goes straight to voicemail.

I clutch the phone tightly in my hand as I speak.

"Listen to me you insignificant, ignorant, _selfish_ little girl." I say, my voice taking on a deadly tone.

"You can tell your _boss_ that I don't care what he wants Tris for. It's not happening. It is _over_. Tell him to find a new superhero for his genetically pure tirade and to leave Tris out of it. Oh and Christina? If you come near her, I swear on Uriah's grave I will kill you. I will murder you. Do you understand?"

I snap the phone shut.

Tris is staring up at me like she's not sure if she's doing the right thing.

I can't stand it.

"They can't have you." I let a breath out.

"They can't have you. Okay?" I pull her in holding her tightly to my chest.

"You're mine, I just got you back." I whisper. "They can't have you."

"I know." She whispers.

"They can't have you either."


	11. Chapter 11

**Tobias/Four**

The rest of the day goes by in blur; I am having trouble concentrating on anything that I'm supposed to be doing.

The conversation in Johanna's office had changed everything.

I love Tris, I have always loved Tris but Cara had been right.

Tris is dangerous.

_Loving_ Tris is dangerous, because of the person she is.

She will fight for things beyond her control until it kills her _literally_ and I am so afraid of losing her that I can't think straight.

I refuse to believe that her purpose in life is to be the sacrifice.

There is no way that she was given back to me just to be taken away again by a tyrant that she'd already taken down once at the expense of her life.

I will not let it happen again.

I can't.

Johanna sends me on errands for most of the day and I bring Tris along.

I don't want to let her out of my sight even for a second.

Things are too...fragile.

I don't know what she's thinking and that has always been the scariest part of being with her.

She feels so far away, like she's on the edge of something and if I blink or turn away for just a moment she'll disappear.

If anything happens to her again, I will not survive it.

I know that.

The car ride home is quiet.

The mood between us has changed so much in just a couple of hours it seems almost impossible.

When she finally speaks, it is a question I am not expecting.

"Why didn't you accept Johanna's offer? When she first asked you to work with her?"

I had forgotten I'd even told her about that.

It seemed so long ago.

I shrug.

"I don't know. I….I don't want to be too involved I guess. I'm not a leader."

She watches me for a moment, frowning.

"I don't know why you think that."

"Why I think what?"

"That you're not a leader. People listen to you. They'll easily follow you." She shakes her head before continuing.

"I am just the rebel for the cause but you…" She pauses. "You're a leader."

I take a moment to consider her words.

Maybe she's right about leadership but I don't trust myself with power.

Power is corruption, just look at David and look at my father.

She might be right about my leadership skills but she's wrong about herself.

"You're not just a rebel for a cause." I say quietly.

"You're worth more than what you think you are."

She is quiet for a moment and then,

"Really? What am I worth? What am I good for?"

I don't like the way her voice sounds, like she really has no idea why she's here.

I turn a little to look at her. "...Me."

The word comes out before I even have a chance to think about it. My voice sounds small.

She looks up at me, but she doesn't say anything.

"Me. You're good for me. I need you, Tris. You keep me grounded and whole. You're a part of me. I…" I am having trouble finding the right words.

I pause for a moment my hands gripping the steering wheel.

"Please don't make me try and live without you again, because I don't think I can."

"I don't want to disappoint you…" She whispers.

"You've had six years to miss me and dream about me and want me and now that I'm here what if I don't live up to what you need...or what you want...or…."

I pull over to the side of the road.

I can't have this conversation and drive at the same time.

I take off my seat belt turning to her.

I take her hand, rubbing the back of it with my thumb, making small circles.

I don't say anything for awhile because I just want her to feel this.

I just want us to be in this moment, her and I.

Together.

The way I know it's supposed to be.

I just have to get her to realize it too.

"You could never in a million years disappoint me, Tris. We were…" I pause, thinking hard about my words.

"I was in love with you before I even knew what it was to be in love with someone." I reach my hand out to touch her cheek.

"You are so much a part of me that I don't know where I end and you begin sometimes…it's…" I let out a long sigh.

"There was never anyone else for me but you. I was just trying to live my life the way that everyone told me I needed to but there is no life without you. Not really. I choose you and I will choose you over and over again for the rest of my life. I just need to know if you'll do the same."

Her eyes are focused downward and I slide a hand underneath her chin so that our eyes meet.

She shakes her head just a little bit.

"I don't know. I don't know if I can."

My heart breaks in that moment, with her words.

I close my eyes, and take in a deep breath.

"Not because I don't love you," she says quickly.

"I do...but we are on the cusp of something right now...I can feel it in my skin...It's happening all over again and how do I know that I'll survive? Or that you will?"

I take her hand and squeeze it tightly.

"Because there is no other option, Tris. Be strong. Please, be strong for us."

She turns away from me for a second and then she nods.

"I just feel so guilty…"

"For what?" I shake my head.

"For leaving you! I don't want to mess up. I don't want to do it again but I can't…make you promises I…I won't let people die for me, you know that."  
"We'll find another way Tris, Do you trust me?"

"That's not the point."  
I shake my head again.

"That's not what I asked. Do you trust me?"

She nods her head slowly.  
"We'll find another way." I repeat.

She looks up at me and a tiny smile forms on her lips.

"Tobias, you have my whole heart and I'm so sorry that I ripped yours out six years ago."

The validation is nice but I don't need it.

She's here now.

I don't care about anything else.

"I choose you." She whispers.

"And I will choose you over and over again for the rest of my life. I promise."

I close my eyes for a moment letting out a breath.

I am so relieved.

I feel like I can finally trust her.

I can finally believe she's not going anywhere.

It is such a good feeling.

I lean over; my lips are shaking and so are hers.

I laugh in spite of everything because at the end of the day, we are still just two scared kids who don't know if they're doing anything right but we believe in each other.

That is everything.

I press my lips to hers and we are electric again.

This, this is how I knew we are supposed to be together.

There is nothing in the world that compares to kissing Tris.

Nothing.

She pulls away and it takes everything in me not to pull her back in.

"We should get back to the apartment…"

She's so close to me that I can smell her.

She smells like vanilla and flowers.

"...Why?" I whisper, my nose pressed against her neck.

"...I had reasons...but I…I can't remember them just now…"

Her voice comes out in little hitches of breath.

"Tris…"

"Yeah?" she says her voice cracking at the end of the word.

It has been almost 24 hours since the last time we were alone together like this. That was clearly too long.

I don't answer her, I simply press my lips to hers again and she surrenders herself to me completely.

**Tris**

I watch as Tobias slips his T-shirt on over his head and runs a hand over his hair to fix it.

I laugh a little and his head turns to look at me.

"What?"

I shake my head, smiling.

"Nothing." I shrug a little.

"This is still just…kind of unbelievable."

He grins.

"I know. I try not to think about it, it gives me a headache."

"Me too…" I say with a sigh.

He shakes his head and turns the key in the ignition.

I stare out the window as he starts the drive home.

Everything is so different.

There are cars and buildings that I've never seen before.

There is so much _life_ here now.

It's incredible.

It seems like only moments until we reach the apartment.

I glance upwards to the familiar square of window and my stomach drops.

There's smoke, so much smoke surrounding it that I'm shocked Tobias doesn't see it but he's too pre-occupied trying to park.

"Tobias…" I whisper and then I lift my finger and point to the window.

"...Look."

Tobias eyes follow my finger's direction.

He stares up at the window for a moment,

"...What the hell…" and then it's like all at once he realizes if there is smoke coming out of the apartment that means there is fire.

_Fire_.

"Cara." He breathes and then he is out of the car, running at top speed up to the apartment.

I panic.

Tobias has no idea what he's running into.

Fire is fire.

He can't handle that on his own.

I jump out of the car.

"Tobias! Wait!"

He's already so far ahead of me but I run to catch up with him.

I reach the hallway of the apartment and it's covered in smoke.

I cough, dropping to my knees and resolve to crawling across the floor.

"Tobias!" I cough again.

I place a hand over my mouth, trying to keep from breathing in all the smoke.

He's already at the apartment door.

I can hear him screaming Cara's name but there is no answer.

I crawl a little closer and I can see him.

He tries the apartment door but it is jammed. He throws himself against the door hard, again and again.

It barely budges.

"Cara!" he screams, again.

He throws himself against the door a couple more times and it finally relents under his weight.

He moves down to his hands and knees, ready to venture into the flames.

I come up behind him, grab onto his leg with one hand, the other still covering my mouth.

He turns a little to look at me.

I take my hand from my mouth.

"What are you doing?! You can't go in there! It's not safe!" I plead with him.

"Cara's in there, I have to!" He screams over the roar of the flames.

I shake my head.

"No! it's not fair, if I'm not allowed to do anything reckless, you can't go off and almost kill yourself in a fire!"

He considers my words.

He knows I'm right.

He tilts his head a little towards me.

"Tris, I need you to do something for me."

I nod.

"Okay, anything."

"I need you to reach down really deep, back when you broke the glass in the labs. I need you to go back to the moment and what you were feeling. I need you to use that same energy to help me get in the apartment untouched by the flames."

I stare at him.

I can barely even remember that day.

I can't remember how I broke the glass.

I'm not a superhero.

I don't know how to tap into that last-ditch effort power I supposedly have.

"I don't think I can! I don't know how I did that, Tobias!"

"Tris! Try! Please." He begs.

If I can really do the things that Matthew says I can, I guess now would be a great time to try.

I close my eyes and try to concentrate.

I have to get into the apartment.

I have to get in there.

I think the phrase so hard that it's starts to make my head hurt, though that could be from all the smoke I'm breathing in.

I have to get into this apartment.

Cara could die.

Suddenly, things are quiet.

Too quiet.

I open my eyes slowly and I can't believe what I'm seeing.

The flames are frozen, literally frozen in place.

We can still feel the heat emanating from them but they can't touch us if they're frozen in place.

"Holy crap…" I whisper.

I can't believe I just did that.

"Thank you." Tobias says and then he crawls through the apartment staying low to the ground.

"Cara! Are you in here?" I hear Tobias yell but there is no answer.

"Cara! Please answer me! Cara!?" He is getting increasingly more frantic.

She has to be okay.

He will never forgive himself if she isn't.

_"Cara!"_ It sounds like relief.

I breathe out a sigh.

He found her.

Thank god.

I wait a few moments and Tobias comes back out, his arms hooked underneath Cara's as he drags her.

He lays her on the floor in the hallway as careful as he can manage.

She's unconscious and there is a bright purple bruise forming on her cheek.

What the hell happened?

Tobias looks at me for a moment and then he holds Cara's nose and breathes into her mouth.

He puts his hands on her chest and pumps once, twice, a third time.

"Come on, Cara." he mumbles and then repeats the process over.

"Cara, come on, breathe."

The fifth time is when Cara coughs, and then breathes. Tobias leans back on his legs, relief flooding through him.

She coughs again and again but she is breathing.

She looks at Tobias and then at me, her eyes darting everywhere.

She seems terrified.

"What happened?" Tobias asks, his voice sounds deadly.

Cara coughs and then tries to clear her throat but she just ends up coughing again.

"Christina…" She manages to get out between gasps of breath.

She's breathing hard…too hard.

She is going to need extra oxygen and soon.

"We have to get her out of here…"

The flames resume their destructive path and I don't think that I can manipulate them again.

Tobias looks like he's going to have a break down.

"Christina?" he says to Cara, ignoring what I said.

Cara nods, and falls into a coughing fit again.

"I'm so sorry, Cara." he whispers.

I know instantly that he thinks this is his fault because he had left Christina that voicemail.

For me.

Cara tries to sit up but almost immediately doubles over in pain.

It is only then that I notice the blood seeping through her jeans.

"Cara? Are you hurt?" Tobias asks, his eyes roam her body for open wounds.

She clutches her stomach and looks up at Tobias slowly.

"No…I…" Her eyes are wide as she looks up at Tobias and suddenly I know exactly what she's going to say before she says it.

"I'm pregnant." She says softly and then she passes out.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Hi again! Here's another chapter, don't forget to let me know what you think!**

**Christina**

David is concentrated on the black and white images moving across his computer screen. It's surveillance of Cara and Four's apartment.

He watches as the apartment goes up in flames.

I cringe, because the apartment went up in flames because of me.

I watch with him as Cara passes out on the floor of the apartment. He fast-forwards and I watch as Four drags Cara out of the apartment and gives her CPR. David shuts off the computer and turns to Matthew and I.

"What were you thinking?" he asks, his voice is calm but that is when he is the scariest. Matthew looks at me but I have no idea what I'm supposed to say.

"Um..I just…wanted to show Four that he can't…intimidate me…us….that…we have power too."

"What if Tris had been in the apartment? We can't risk her being damaged Christina!"

"I know that! That's why I checked first! I only wanted to hurt, Cara. I was just trying to get to Four."

Matthew nods, "He knows everything."

David scoffs, "How does he know everything?"

"I don't know, but it's true." I say, pulling out my cell phone. I press the voicemail button and then the speaker and Four's voice fills the room.

"_Listen to me you insignificant, ignorant, selfish little girl. You can tell your boss that I don't care what he wants Tris for. It's not happening. It is over. Tell him to find a new superhero for his genetically pure tirade and to leave Tris out of it. Oh and Christina? If you come near her, I swear on Uriah's grave I will kill you."_

The message ends with a click.  
David stands up, leaning on his walking stick.

"I did what you asked," I say quickly.

"I told Cara she still had a fighting chance with Four, and I think she believed me but she didn't try hard enough. Then I got this voicemail…so I just thought if we showed him we mean business, he'd…take us more seriously and just…give Tris to us, or at least let us talk to her. Cara was the only leverage I had."

He turns back to the computer again and watches the sequence of events again. He pauses when Four begins giving Cara CPR.

"He cares about her." He says softly.

I nod. "He does."

David nods, slowly.

"Does he love her?"

I raise my shoulders a little.

"I don't know. I thought he did."

David presses play and Four finishes his CPR and Cara wakes up coughing.

"Christina, I need you to do something for me." David says quietly.

"What's that?"

He reaches into his desk drawer and takes out a shiny black gun. He slides it across the desk to me.

"I need you to bring me Cara."

"Why?" I ask quietly.

"It's simple. Don't you see? In order to get Tris, we need to hurt Four. The best way to do that would be to hurt Tris, but we can't get to Tris and she's too important. So what's the next best option?"

Matthew looks down at the gun and then he speaks slowly. "…we hurt Cara."

David smiles.

"Precisely."

"…but that's what I tried to do…" I say, shaking my head.

"Well, looks like we're going to have to give Four a little more incentive this time, won't we?"

I don't like the way he smiles. It chills me to the bone.

**Cara**

This is the fourth time Four has asked me what happened.

I am sitting in a hospital bed with IV's hooked into my veins and an oxygen tube in my nose.

The doctor said I was lucky that I didn't have permanent lung damage from all the smoke I'd breathed in.

I didn't think I was lucky at all.

If I had been_ lucky_ my baby would still be inside of me. If I had been _lucky_, maybe the fire wouldn't have happened at all.

The doctor said something about the pregnancy being too early of a stage for the baby to survive with all the smoke I'd breathed in.

I don't really know.

It all meant the same thing.

I had failed as a mother before I'd even really had the chance to try.

Four and I would never be connected in any way at all.

I am trying not to think about it, because if I do, I might fall apart.

Tris and four are sitting in chairs next to me.

I really wish they'd leave; this whole situation is terrible enough without having to look at them and how in love they are. It was practically visible.

"I _told_ you already," I say, sighing.

"I was at home, trying to figure out a way to tell you what was going on and then the doorbell rang." I take a moment to breathe.

"It was Christina, so I let her in. She asked me where you guys were, and I told her you'd gone to work." I cough a little.

"She seemed really off, jumpy. I didn't really put two and two together until later." I swallow hard, my mouth feels so dry.

"She left and then I was walking over to the kitchen and I noticed a little black box on the floor. I went to pick it up and then…"

I pause, taking a moment to let the extra oxygen move through my body.

"… It exploded and I flew backwards and up, my cheek hit the coffee table on my way back down and…and then there was smoke and…flames…and I don't really remember anything after that, just waking up in the hallway with you."

I turn my head a little, pressing my cheek into the pillow. It just isn't fair. Any of it.

Four nods, "Christina didn't say anything else?"

I shake my head.

"Cara…I don't think…I can ever tell you how sorry I am."

I shrug. I hate him. I hate him for putting me in this situation. I hated him and I hated Christina and most of all I hated Tris.

"They think they're going to get me to this way." He whispers, looking over at Tris.

She shifts her feet.

"They _are_ getting to you this way." She shakes her head. "I told you. I told you that we need to give him what he wants. People are going to keep getting hurt."

"No! Damn it!" He hits the wall with his fist, and it makes a thudding sound.

"I still don't understand. Why would Christina want to hurt me?" I question, my eyes darting between the two of them.

Four sighs. "Christina's working with David."

"David?" I question.

Tris nods. "Yeah, he's pretty much back to the David we all know and love."

I blink. "W-w-what? That doesn't make any sense. She's just as genetically damaged as the rest of us."

Four nods. "I know that. I don't know what he promised her but it had to be good enough to bring Tris back from the dead and almost kill you."

"What does David want with me?" I ask

"He doesn't want you." Tris answers me. "He wants me. He's trying to get Tobias to give me up. He wants to use me as the face of his genetically pure war." She sighs.

"I'm pretty sure Christina attacked you so that Four would do what she wants."

Four shakes his head. "No…it was a message. A message telling me that they aren't intimidated by me."

I close my eyes, shaking my head. Of course. It always had something to do with Tris. Always.

"Are you alright?" Four asks me.

I shake my head.

"No! No! I am not alright! I am constantly losing things because of her!" I point to Tris.."

"Cara—"

"No! _No!_ I lost my brother, and my relationship, my apartment, and now…" I close my eyes, sniffing back tears. I can't even bring up the last thing I'd lost. The words just won't come out.

"…how is this fair?"

"Hey…" Four comes up next to me, placing a hand on my cheek.

"Listen, I'm so sorry this happened to you. It is my fault. It's my fault. I should've been more careful. I should've realized. I shouldn't have left you all alone. I should have called you, filled you in on what was happening. I will fix this, I swear."

I shake my head. "You can't fix this, Four. It's already done."

He closes his eyes and shakes his head. "Cara, I'm so sorry..." he pauses. "Why…why didn't you tell me?"

I looked up at the ceiling.

"I was going to. I just…I was trying to think of a good way to tell you. You'd already broken up with me. I didn't think you'd take it well."

He's quiet for a moment and then,

"I won't let anything happen to you again. I swear, Cara."

I nod. I believe him. He wasn't the type to go back on his promises. I knew that.

Tris takes a step towards us and Four turns to look at her.

"Cara, I'd really like to start over with you. I know that seems like an unfair request."

She seems genuine, but I don't know if I can do that.

"You killed my brother."

"I did. I did do that, but he was going to kill me."

"That doesn't make it okay."

"I know it doesn't. It doesn't ever make anything okay, it's just the truth."

I nod. She's right. Will was under a simulation. I know this. There was nothing anyone could do.

"I'm sorry that Christina brought me back, because it ruined your happiness and no one deserves to be happy more than you. Will would have wanted that, and I know…I know you were good for Tobias."

She swallows like it is the hardest thing in the world for her to admit.

"If I had stayed dead, I wouldn't have wanted him with anybody else. I'm sorry that he still loves me."

I bite my lip to keep the tears back.

"I'm sorry about your apartment."

I nod a little.

"…and Cara I am so sorry about the baby…"

That's it. I lose it, the tears come flowing out of me and I am powerless to stop them.

"My mother used to say everything happens for a reason. I'd really like to believe that in this situation." Tris says so quietly and genuine that I actually believe her.

I turn my head into the pillow and I cry. I cry without holding anything back because there is no point.

I am broken and they both know it.

"Cara…" Four wraps his arms around me and I let him. There is nothing romantic about it. He is a friend comforting a friend and surprisingly I am grateful for just that right now.

I don't know how long I cry for, but afterwards, I feel light, at ease.

Everything is going to be okay.

I know that, somehow.

I pull away from Four.

"I'm okay. I…I'm just tired." I sniffle a little.

"Are you sure?" Four presses.

"Yeah…I…" I shake my head. "I feel…peaceful actually."

Four glances at Tris for a moment and then nods.

"Okay…we'll let you get some sleep. I'll come pick you up tomorrow when they release you, okay? I'll find us somewhere to live temporarily." He sighs.

I nod.

"Thank you…"

I turn my head into the pillow. Four and Tris make their exit and I can hear them whispering in the hall.

"Did you do that?" Four's voice.

"Do what?" Tris' answer.

"Make Cara…relax."

"I…I don't know I just…I wanted to take some of her pain away. I thought it and then I think she sort of…felt it. I still don't really know how it works. "

"You're getting pretty good at this manipulation thing." Their voices die out as they reach the end of the hallway.

I am asleep before I even have the chance to think about it.

**Tobias/Four**

I couldn't help but think it was sort of poetic that Cara and I's apartment went up in flames.

Now that our relationship is over, our apartment went with it.

I was lucky, because my mother still had our old house where abnegation used to be.

That is where I am taking Tris now.

Cara won't be released until tomorrow, but she will stay there as well. She has nowhere else to go and I want to keep her in my sights just in case Christina tries to pull anything else.

Being where abnegation used to be is always strange.

For me, abnegation had been a place where I was terrified all the time.

As we walk up to the front door Tris is glancing around in shock.

It has changed a lot, but I was used to it.

"Is it weird?" I ask her.

She looks up at me and nods just a little. "Yeah, I can still imagine living here like it was yesterday."

I nod. There are memories that haunt her here too.

I knock on Evelyn's door three times.

It is late. I wonder if she is even awake, but I don't have to wonder long because she appears after just a few seconds.

"Tobias? What are you—" She stops mid-sentence as her eyes fall on Tris.

"Tobias…what's going on?"

I sigh. "Hi Mom. Is it okay if we come in?" I say tiredly.

I am practicing calling her 'mom.' The word still feels heavy on my tongue.

It is a work in progress.

"Of course it's okay…" She steps back a little to let us in.

I take Tris's hand and lead her into the living room. We sit on the couch together and Evelyn follows us sitting on the chair across from us.

"You guys are filthy." She says softly.

I look at Tris and the soot covering her cheeks and arms.

"We had kind of a rough day."

Evelyn's eyes keep flickering back to Tris.

"Mother," I say softly. "Tris is back."

"I can see that." She says her voice sounds nonchalant but I know better.

"Tris is back, and the world is falling apart again. My apartment got blown up, and we need a place to stay. Can we crash here?"

Evelyn looks back and forth between Tris and I.

"Of course you can stay here, Tobias." She shakes her head.

"Where's Cara?"

I sigh, rubbing my face with my hands.

"She's in the hospital."

"What?" Evelyn stands up.

"She's okay. She just needed a little extra oxygen and they wanted to monitor her over night."

Evelyn sits back down, a hand over her heart.

"She was _in_ the apartment when it got blown up?"

I nod.

"Tobias, I don't understand. What is happening?"

I sigh.

"I don't really know. A lot of stuff, I'll fill you in on everything in the morning, but right now I just want a shower and bed."

Evelyn is still trying to make things up to me, so much so that she almost never refuses me something. Sometimes that makes me feel lucky, other times that makes me feel resentful.

She looks again from me to Tris, and then nods.

"Sure. You know where everything is."

I take Tris's hand and lead her up the stairs, she follows me into my bedroom and I close the door behind us.

We have been here before but it feels different now somehow.

It is still a plain room, in a plain house, but everything has changed.

She walks over to the bed, sitting down for a moment.

I flip on the light switch and the room is flooded in yellow light.

"You can shower first." I mumble, scratching the back of my neck.

"How very abnegation of you." She smiles just a little. "Always putting others first."

I shrug, "Well, when in abnegation do as the abnegation do."

I started keeping things here before I moved in with Cara because some nights I slept over here to spend time with Evelyn.

I hadn't done it in awhile but I was grateful that I had clothes here now.

I search through one of the drawers and pull out a black T-shirt, It would be a dress on Tris. I toss it to her and she catches it with one hand.

"Bathrooms just down the hall." I say flopping down on the bed beside her.

She stands up, clutching my shirt in her hands and then she disappears out of the bedroom.

I hear the shower turn on and the sound of the pipes is comforting.

I close my eyes for just a moment it seems and Tris is back in the room, wrapped in a blue towel.

I sit up a little resting on my elbows.

"You're just going to watch me?" She says shaking her head.

I shrug. "Am I not allowed?"

She blushes, and my heart melts.

I roll my eyes a little and then close them.

"Once a stiff, always a stiff." I mumble.

Then I feel her on top of me, her legs on either side of me. I open my eyes quickly, hands coming up to hold her hips.

I raise my eyebrows at her.

"What were you saying about being a stiff?" she says in a breathy voice.

I let out a shaky breath. She has no idea the effect she has on me.

"You're right…I know better by now."

She drops the towel that was wrapped so particularly around her. I squeeze her hips.

"…So beautiful." The words are out of my mouth before I even realize I said them.

She smiles and leans down to kiss me, her blonde hair cascading down and tickling my face.

"Tris…" I breathe against her lips.

"Shh…" she whispers back, pressing little kisses to the corners of my mouth.

"Just…be here with me." She presses a kiss to my cheek. "…before things get…out of control…"

I know what she means.

Let's enjoy this before all hell breaks loose.

It does not take more than that to convince me.


	13. Chapter 13

**Cara**

I wake up and there is a gun pointing in my face. I slide back into the bed as far as I can but the barrel of the gun is still too close for comfort.

I can't see anything but the gun, it's so dark in here.

I am hyperventilating.

"Hello…?"

I say into the darkness. I blink a few times and a silhouette starts to form.

Christina.

Christina is pointing a gun in my face.

"Christina? What…what are you doing?"

"Get up." She says in a dark tone.

I let out a breath.

"I can't…I'm hooked to two different IV's and I need the oxygen tube. I'm still having trouble breathing on my own."

Christina snorts.

"Are you really challenging the person with the gun? I said get up."

I let out a small whimper and unhook the oxygen tube from around my nose.

It is so much harder to breathe without it.

I take a deep shaky breath and then I pull at the IV's connected to my wrist. I let out a whimper of pain and watch the trickle of blood slide down my arm.

"Shut up! Are you insane?" Christina says, checking behind her. "Jesus Christ, be quiet!"

I slowly stand up, the hospital gown I'm wearing hangs loosely around me.

"Listen," Christina holds the gun to my temple. "You're going to go somewhere with me, okay? You're not going to scream, you're not going to cry, you're just going to do it, okay? You can understand that right? You're an Erudite after all."

I shake my head, "There aren't factions anymore. I'm whatever I want to be."

It was something Four and I used to say to each other to stay grounded. After the faction system went to hell, it was sort of hard to adjust.

Christina rolls her eyes.

"Yeah. Whatever."

"What the hell happened to you, Christina?" I say, trying to ignore the nervous feeling the gun held to my head gave me.

"I learned that some things were worth fighting for."

I shake my head.

"Whatever David told you…it's not true. If it was he wouldn't need to hide in the shadows and bribe Tris into being on his team."

"You don't know anything." She whispers.

"I know Will would've hated seeing you like this." I say with a little shake of my head.

"Don't talk about Will. You barely knew him."

I let out a little laugh. "He was my baby brother. I knew him a hell of a lot longer than you."

Christina pulls back a little, the gun shaking.

"This has nothing to do with Will."

I lick my bottom lip. "It has everything to do with him. He wouldn't have wanted this, Christina, and he would've hated you for trying to hurt me."

Christina looks down at the hospital tile for a moment and then she shrugs.

"Well then it looks like I have nothing to lose." She steadies her hand with the gun.

"We're going to go on a little field trip. Move." She pushes me towards the door.

I move, the gun is now pressed to my spine.

I wish I had been smarter. That I had thought of a way to leave a note, or some sort of sign for someone, but I was so taken off guard.

I didn't even have time to fully wake up.

Christina leads me to the parking lot, and she shoves me head first into the back seat of a black car with tinted windows.

The car is dark on the inside too and silent.

There is a partition between the front seat and the back seat so it's almost crazy quiet.

I curl up on the seat and cry.

**Tobias/Four**

_I am in a room alone in the dauntless compound._

_I haven't been here in so long, but everything looks the same. _

_I don't like being here._

_Too many memories._

_Too many faces I'd like to forget. _

_ "Well, if it isn't Mr. Four fears himself."_

_ I freeze, and then panic. _

_No. _

_There is no way. _

_I turn around slowly and I am faced with someone I thought I'd never see again. _

_ Eric._

_ "What? No hug?" He asks, his piercings gleaming in the light. _

_ I shake my head. _

"_I killed you. This isn't real. This can't be real. You're dead."_

_I pause, actually, this isn't so unbelievable._

_People do apparently come back from the dead, but who the hell would bring Eric back?_

_ "Just because I'm not real doesn't mean I don't have something to say."_

_ I groan, "I don't care what you have to say, Eric. You're a tool. And I never liked you, and I never wanted to join in your little power parade." _

_ Eric shrugs,_

"_I have to talk to you about some things. Like your idiotic choices." _

_ "MY idiotic choices? You've got to be kidding me." _

_ There is a screen in the room with us now. I hadn't noticed it before, maybe it just appeared. Tris's face appears there. _

_Even on a screen, in a dream, she's beautiful. _

_ "We have to talk about her." _

_ I shrug. _

"_I didn't want to talk about her with you when you were alive what makes you think I want to do it now?"_

_ "Think of what you're giving up. For this little bitch." _

_ Rage flows through me._

_I wasn't holding a gun before but somehow, I am now. _

_I lift it and point it at him._

_ "You really shouldn't insult my girlfriend. Especially since I've already killed you once."_

_ Eric laughs. _

_ "Well I hear nowadays, you have two girlfriends." _

_ The screen changes and Cara's face replaces Tris' _

_ "What is the point of this?"_

_ Eric holds up his hands._

"_I'm just trying to help you figure out your choices, Four." _

_ "What makes you think that the little bitch isn't going to leave you again? Or better yet, VOLUNTARILY leave you?"_

_ "She loves me. That's what makes me think it." _

_ Eric shakes his head. _

"_Loved maybe. Emphasis on the ED. She's different now. 'Super Tris' and all that." _

_ I pause. _

_No. _

_She is the same. _

_She is Tris. _

_This is our second chance._

_ "Go to hell, Eric." I say, raising the gun again. "I have 100% accuracy. You know that."_

_Eric laughs, and I remember how much I hated that stupid laugh of his. _

"_You're out of your mind if you think Cara's not going to get hurt."_

"_What do you know about it?" I say, lowering the gun just a little. _

"_A lot. I'm pretty intuitive on the other side."_

_I groan again. This is the worst dream. Ever. _

"_I'll protect her. She's going to be fine." _

_Eric shrugs. "Maybe, but maybe not." _

_I don't like the way he's looking at me. He looks…smug. Like he knows something I don't know. _

"_You really left her at the hospital all night? Alone? What, you think whoever's trying to kill her doesn't have her on 24 hour surveillance?"_

"_You don't know anything. Get the hell out." _

_I raise the gun at him again, aiming straight for his heart. _

"_Okay big shot, I'll go...just one more thing."_

_I lower the gun, rolling my eyes out of frustration. _

"_What?"_

"_Have you nailed the stiff yet?" _

_I fire the gun, but Eric is gone by the time the bullet gets there. _

I wake up covered in sweat, and Tris is beside me.

She's fast asleep, the blankets pulled up tightly around her.

I take a moment to catch my breath.

I can tell it's early by the light streaming in through the window.

I pull the covers off and start pulling on clothes, I don't care what I grab, I just need to get dressed and quickly.

I have to make sure Cara is alright.

"…What are you doing?"

Tris is sitting up now, rubbing her eyes with her hands. My movement must have woken her up.

"I…I'm going to go pick up Cara."

Tris blinks, she looks over at the clock on the bedside table.

"But I thought she wasn't getting released till noon? It's barely 8." She yawns.

"I know. I just…I want to make sure she's okay…"

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah…I just…I had a weird dream." I mumble.

She touches my back, her fingers tracing my tattoo.

"It's not your fault, Tobias. What happened to Cara…it's not your fault." She says quietly.

I close my eyes. Then why does it feel like it is?

I nod. "I know. I know that. I just…want to make sure she's safe. She doesn't have anyone else."

Tris nods. "Okay…then let's go."

She slips on one of my T-shirts and the jeans she'd been wearing the day before.

I am so thankful for her right now that it hurts.

**Tris**

We say a hasty good morning to Evelyn and we are out the door. Evelyn hasn't stopped looking at me like I'm scum on the bottom of her shoe. I don't tell Tobias because he doesn't need anything else stressing him out right now.

We arrive at the hospital and Tobias grabs my hand and we practically run inside. We reach the front desk, and nurse greets us.

"Hi." The pretty red-head nurse says. "What can I do for you?"

Tobias gives the nurse Cara's name and she types it into the computer.

"Oh…I have here that Cara was released yesterday."

Tobias looks at me for a moment and then he shakes his head.

"No…that's a mistake. We were here yesterday. The doctor said she needed to stay the night."

The nurse frowns up at us and then looks back at the computer.

"Hmm…no. I'm sorry. She's not here anymore."

There is no other explanation. They had found her, and we were too late.

Tobias is gripping the counter so hard that his knuckles are white.

I put a hand on his shoulder.

"Tobias, calm down, just…come over here and talk to me for a moment." I lightly pull at his arm.

He hits the reception desk hard with his fist. The desk shakes and the nurse looks shocked.

"I'm sorry." I whisper to her as I pull Tobias into a corner.

"Hey, we'll find her, okay? This isn't the end of the world. It's not."

"I promised her…"

"I know you did." I whisper, I reach a hand up and touch his cheek. "I know you did. We'll find her, I promise you Tobias. We will find her. Do you trust me?"

He nods slowly and I can tell it's hard for him.

"It's going to be okay…just trust me."

I pull him into me, wrapping my arms around him.

He leans his head down, his nose against my shoulder.

There is a part of me that loves him when he is like this because it is the only time he is fully open to me.

I stroke the back of his head lightly my fingers gripping his hair.

"…Just trust me." I whisper again as I hold him.

"…Tris?"

The voice comes from behind me and I jump, pulling away from Tobias.

"Zeke!" I clasp a hand to my mouth, and then I move towards him, throwing my arms around him for a hug.

As I pull back I see Shauna right behind him and my heart expands when I see her leg braces.

"Shauna…" I shake my head as I wrap my arms around her too. She hugs me back.

"We went to see you…at the apartment but…" Shauna says.

Tobias sighs, "It's not much of an apartment anymore, yeah"

"The landlord told us what happened and that Cara was here so we came by to see her and see if you guys were alright…"

I look up at Tobias and then back at Shauna and Zeke.

"We have a lot to fill you in on…"

Tobias glances back at the receptionist.

"Yeah…but not here. Come with us."

He starts walking towards the exit and Shauna, Zeke and I follow him out.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Thank you for your enthusiasm, loyalty and excitement. Here is Chapter 14.**

**Tobias/Four**

I am at a loss.

I have done nothing but ruin Cara's life.

I am toxic to her and everyone around me.

If I was a better person, I would let Tris go so that she doesn't get hurt, but I am too selfish for that.

We are sitting in my mother's living room.

She isn't here but I think I prefer that right now.

Tris is explaining everything to Shauna and Zeke who look like the world has been shattered to pieces, which makes sense because it sort of has.

"…but…Christina is _friends_ with Cara." Shauna says confusion in her voice.

I shake my head. "No she isn't. Not really."

Everyone turns to look at me, it is the first time I have spoken in an hour.

I clear my throat. "…they aren't really friends. I mean, they bonded for awhile over the Will thing but…"

I shake my head. "…Cara doesn't have a lot of friends."

It was one of the reasons we got a long so well. I couldn't keep friends because of my anti-social and sometimes offensive behavior. She couldn't keep friends because people were usually put off by her smart outlook on things.

Tris reaches over and grabs my cell phone off of the coffee table.

"What are you doing?" I ask her.

She doesn't look up from the phone just focuses on dialing.

"I'm calling Caleb. We can't do everything on our own."

She's right. We can't. But I don't want Caleb involved.

I put my hand over the phone and she looks up at me.

"Don't call Caleb."

Her brows furrow as she looks at me.

"Why?"

I take a deep breath. She knows why. I can see it all happening again, if it comes down to Caleb's life or her own. She would pick his.

"The second we add Caleb into this I am that much closer to losing you."

She closes her eyes for a moment.

"Tobias. We've got to move past this." She takes my hand. "I promised you, didn't I? I'm not going anywhere if I can help it."

It is the 'if I can help it' that makes me worry.

I nod, but I can't shake the feeling.

She will feel obligated to protect Caleb.

She is the little sister with big sister mentality.

Damn it. Why can't anything ever be simple?

I take my hand off the phone and she smiles.

"Thank you…" She holds the phone to her ear and waits for Caleb to pick up.

I watch her, wishing that I had much more control of this situation than I do.

**Cara**

We drive for what feels like hours and then I am being dragged out of the backseat by Christina.

We are in an empty parking lot. There are no lights, and I can't see anything but Christina.

She holds the gun to my face again and I want to throw up.

There have been way too many traumatic events for one day.

My body is on overload shock.

She tosses me a cell phone.

"Call Four." She says, simply.

"…What?"

"You heard me. Call Four. If you could cry a little that'd be good too."

I stare at her and then look down at the phone in my hands.

I shake my head. "I'm not going to bait Four into coming to find me for you."

"Again with you, challenging the person holding the gun." Christina says waving it in my face.

I let out a small sigh and punch in Four's phone number, the phone number I will always know by heart.

"Don't give him any details or I'll fire." Christina says.

When he picks up his voice sounds so tired, and worn out, like he was falling apart at the seams.

I take a breath.

"Four." I breathe

"Cara?" He sounds alert now.

"Where are you? Christ…are you alright? What happened?"

"Shh…you're talking too fast." I say quietly.

"I'm…I'm okay. I'm holding up anyway…I want to tell you not to do anything Christina or David say, no matter what they do to me. It's not worth—"

I feel a sharp pain on the back of my head and the phone goes skidding out of my hand and across the dark parking lot.

"What the he—"

Before I can finish the sentence the butt of a gun collides with my temple and everything goes black.

**Tobias /Four**

"Cara!?"

All I hear is a thud and then a car door slam.

"Cara? Are you still there? Hello? CARA!"

No answer.

I throw the phone down and resolve to punch the table in front of me.

"Cara called you?" Tris says, disbelief coating her throat.

I nod, and punch the table again.

"What did she say?"

"Nothing. Nothing I could use to find her. I lost her. Again."

Tris is staring at me like she doesn't know how to handle me.

"What?" I say frustration flowing through me.

"Nothing…" she says softly, "I just…want you to be careful with your anger that's all."

I don't like the way she shifts her eyes away from me. It's the same thing my mother does when she see me get angry.

"…you think I'm like him don't you?"

"Like who?" She asks, raising her eyebrows.

"Marcus. You think I'm like him."

She shakes her head slowly. "No. You could never be like him that's…" She sighs. "I just want you to stay calm. That's all."

She moves a little closer to me and then places a hand on my cheek.

"You know I don't think that. You could never be like him, because you're everything he isn't."

The words comfort me in only the way that Tris Prior can.

I look up at her for just a moment.

"We have to go see Johanna. She'll know where they took her."

Tris tilts her head.

"You really think they'd make it that easy for you to find out?"

I nod.

"It's what they want. They want me to go storm the place to get Cara back."

"Why?" she shakes her head. "That seems counter-productive."

I shake my head.

"No. It's smart. Because they know you won't let me go there without you."

She opens her mouth to dispute what I said but then the reality of the situation dawns on her. She knows it's true.

"No. I'm not going to let you go alone."

I nod.

"I know that."

She chews on her bottom lip.

"So let's just make sure we come out of it together, alright?"

I nod, hoping against hope that it will be that easy.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: I seriously love hearing what you guys think, it makes me whole day and keeps me going so keep it coming. Thanks, as always, for reading. :)**

**Cara**

I wake up in a dark room on the floor.

The floor is concrete and it's freezing.

The back of my head hurts so bad I think I might be dizzy from it.

I sit up slowly, blinking in the darkness.

"…Hello?" I say, my voice echoes throughout the tiny room.

"Is anybody here?"

Nothing.

I crawl around for a moment and figure out there are metal bars in front of me.

Bars.

I am in a cell.

The panic sets in just like that.

"What do you WANT with me!?" I scream into the nothingness.

There is a tiny screen in the corner, like a security camera monitor, but it's focused on me.

I see myself, standing in the cell, looking up at the screen on the monitor.

I tilt my head walking closer to the screen.

"Why are you filming me?" I whisper to no one in particular.

I hear a noise like keys jangling and I turn towards the bars. A few seconds pass and a man with his face covered by a white mask comes in.

He has a plate with two slices of plain bread on it.

He opens the bars and places the plate on the floor.

"Um…thank you?" I say. The man in the mask turns a little to look at me.

"Speak when spoken to." He says in a gruff sounding voice.

I blink.

"Okay. Sorry." I am quiet for a moment as I watch him start to leave my cell.

"Wait…can I just…can I just have the time?"

He turns to me, his head tilted.

"Speak. When. Spoken. To."

I nod a little, raising my hands in defense.

"Okay…I'm sorry. I just don't understand what's going on." I bite my lip.

The man stares at me for a moment and then he pulls out a little portable screen. He presses a button on it and then speaks into it.

"The genetically damaged female is being insubordinate. I'm asking for orders."

There is crackling on the screen and then a voice that sounds suspiciously like David's comes through the speaker.

"Make her shut up the best way you know how." The screen crackles again and the man puts the screen back in his pocket.

He turns to me and suddenly I'm terrified.

"In here, we train the genetically damaged to listen."

"To listen to who?" I question.

"The rightful leaders. The genetically pure. Who else?" He says, and then he pulls out a shiny silver knife, it is still dark in the cell but somehow the knife manages to shine.

I am so terrified I can hardly breathe.

I close my eyes and think of Four. I wonder vaguely if he'll even come for me at all. He is happy with Tris. Why would he ruin all that just to save me? What am I worth? David and Christina picked the wrong person to bait Four with.

That is the last thought I have before I feel the sharp knife cut into my flesh.

**Tris**

Tobias left for Johanna's office an hour ago.

I am sitting in the living room of his childhood home feeling lost.

It took me a very long time to shake the feeling that I don't belong in this world anymore.

Being in this house, where abnegation used to be isn't helping.

I can see my old life everywhere I look and that makes me wonder about Tobias and I.

If things had gone differently, if we both stayed in abnegation would we have found each other even then?

Would I have still found my way outside the fence?

Or would we both have died in the original attack on abnegation?

These are things my brain insists on thinking about. Especially in this house.

I barely remember seeing him in abnegation but it makes sense to me that I wouldn't have noticed him. I was too busy trying to be selfless when I wasn't.

"Hello…"

I jump a little and turn towards the door.

"Oh. Hi Evelyn, Tobias is just…he went to work for a moment."

She nods a little. "I see, and he left you here."

I nod a little, chewing on my bottom lip.

"I'm actually glad he did. I'd like to talk to you."

I look up at her, shock showing in my face I am sure.

"Oh…okay."

She sits down next to me on the couch and tilts her head, watching me for a moment.

"I couldn't figure it out."

I raise my eyebrows. "Figure what out?"

"Why my son was so in love with you."

My stomach squeezes uncomfortably, but I don't respond.

"You see, the Tobias I remembered was…too pre-occupied for girls. I mean…he was very young when I left, but he just seemed…" She shakes her head. "…Too smart for it or…like he would never need another person to feel whole."

I shake my head. "He doesn't. That's not why were together, or why he loves me."

She gives me a look that I've seen a million times on Tobias' face, like she doesn't really understand me.

"Oh?"

"We're partners." I say softly. "We don't need each other; we choose to want each other. There's a difference."

"Is there? You didn't see him when you were gone. You didn't pick up the pieces from that. I did. Well, with Cara's help."

I shake my head. "You didn't see him when _you_ were gone. You didn't pick up the pieces from _that_. _I _did."

She stares at me, looking confused and I continue.

"Don't make me feel bad for abandoning him, because I may have, but you did it first. And worse, because you left him _here, _with that terrible man he has to call a father."

She looks shocked that I'm calling her out on it, but I don't care.

"You think you intimidate me because I'm the girlfriend and you're the mother but you seem to forget Evelyn, he may have been hurt and lost without me, but not more than he was hurt and lost without you. Did you ever think that there wasn't anyone before me because he was so damaged by the father that never really loved him and the mother who abandoned him? Don't hate me because I'm the one he finally let in. I've already apologized to him for what happened six years ago; I don't think I need to apologize to you."

She is quiet for a moment, and then,

"I am not without my mistakes, but Tobias and I are working through those…If he loses you again he won't come back from it. I need to know that my son will be okay."

I stare at her. I don't know what to say. I don't know how to feel. I don't know anything. Not only does Tobias need me to promise him my life, but now his mother needed it to. I close my eyes.

"I love him, Evelyn. I've never loved anybody or anything the way that I love your son. Being with him feels like breathing clean air. I don't want to lose that either."

She nods just a little.

"I didn't do my job very well before. I am doing everything that I can now to protect him."

I know Tobias would classify that as too little too late, but I see her for what she really is. A mother who made all the wrong choices and is trying desperately now, to make the right ones.

The front door opens and we both turn to watch Tobias walk through the door.

He looks at me and holds up a little map.  
"I got it. I know where Cara is."

This is it. We were going into "battle".

I look over at Evelyn but she's determinedly looking away from me.

I look up at Tobias.

"Well, let's do this thing."

**Tobias/Four**

I go over the plan with Tris again as we're lying in bed.

She seems like she's listening, but it makes me feel better to repeat it.

"Caleb is going to try and hack into the security system so that we can get through the gate."

She nods.

"Then…Shauna and Zeke are going to be stationed outside just in case. And then you and I…we'll go in and we'll find Cara."

Tris nods.

"Okay." She says softly. She's staring up at the ceiling and refusing to look over at me.

"Okay…we're going into a life or death situation tomorrow now's not the time to get all distant or hold anything back…"

She turns to look at me.

"I'm not…it's just…" She pauses for a moment. "I need to ask you something."

I nod, "Anything."

She takes a deep breath.

"I don't really know how to ask it…" She pauses and then looks up at the ceiling again. "…If it comes down to it, and I am in a situation where it is either me or Cara…what do you want me to do?"

I am taken aback by her question. How am I supposed to answer that? My heart knows the answer but I don't want to say it out loud. I can't. What kind of a person does that make me?

A selfish one.

How did I ever get the result of abnegation in my aptitude test?

She continues, he voice shaking a little.

"I just…if it comes down to it, I don't want to think that you'll hate and resent me for the rest of forever if…" She pauses, not wanting to say out loud that we might fail, and she might die. Again.

"…So if it comes down to it…" She continues. "I just want to know what you want me to do."

I stare at her for a long moment. In my perfect world this situation would never arise, but it is here now. I have to face it.

I close my eyes and then I step out of bed for a moment.

I lean down picking up my jacket from the floor and reaching into the pocket.

My fingers close around a little ring box.

On my way back from Johanna's, I'd stopped at a small jewelry store. I'd always intended to get a ring for Tris. I just never had the chance to follow through with it.

Today I did.

Abnegation didn't practice engagements, not with rings or anything, but dauntless did and I had always liked the idea.

I hadn't intended on proposing just yet, but it made me feel better to have it on hand.

Just in case.

Now that we were having this conversation it seemed like the perfect time.

I climb back into bed, the ring box clutched in my fist.

"Maybe, I just need to give you some incentive to come back to me."

She looks at me confused and then I present the box and pop it open.

It is a little silver ring with a tiny square diamond on it. It is very simple but extraordinarily beautiful.

It reminds me of Tris.

Her eyes get wide and then she shakes her head.

"Tobias…"

"I love you." I cut her off, and her eyes fly up to meet mine.

"I love you and…I'd like to spend the rest of forever with you. I didn't get a chance to before so I'm just… not taking time for granted anymore. I want you forever, Tris Prior and if wearing this ring will help you remember that…then I want nothing more."

She shakes her head a little, like she can't believe the words I'm saying.

I pull out the ring and slip it onto her finger. It looks nice there, like it was always supposed to be there.

"Why are you giving this to me now?" She whispers. Her hand is still raised halfway in the air from where I held it to slip the ring on it. It's shaking slightly. I touch her fingers.

"I'm just answering your question the best way that I can." I say softly.

She takes a few moments to stare down at the ring on her finger and then she moves towards me and our lips collide.

"Tobias…" She breathes against my lips. I hold her hips tightly as she kisses me.

I want this forever.

This.

Her in my arms.

Her hair in my face.

Her voice whispering my name.

I want it all.

I don't know how I ever lived without it.

She pulls away, her hands on either side of my face, her eyes matching mine.

"I don't deserve you. I'm not good enough for you, I—"

I press a finger to her lips, and shake my head.

"Tris, I love you but you say such stupid things sometimes."

She blushes and then laughs, shaking her head.

"I didn't think I'd ever have this…" She says and her eyes well up with tears and I watch as one makes its way down her cheek.

I catch it with my thumb and smile a little.

"I'm going to make you so happy…" I whisper.

She lets out a half laugh-half sob and kisses me.

I kiss her back, as I pull the blankets over our heads.

We don't come up for air until the morning.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Hi again! I posted the wrong chapter up first, so this is the correct one if you were wondering why you go two different e-mails. Anyway, thanks as always for reading. :)**

**Cara**

I have been lying in the same spot for hours.

Everything hurts, but the gashes on my cheeks hurt the most.

I don't think I could speak even when spoken to at this point. Maybe that had been the reason they chose my cheeks.

I have been crying on and off for hours it seems, so I don't really notice when it starts up again.

"Don't cry. It gets better honestly; you just have to learn the rules."

I sit up instantly. I have been in this cell for hours and I haven't heard a single voice other than my own the entire time.

Am I going crazy?

"Hello?" I say into the darkness. My mouth feels strange and painful.

"I would've spoken earlier; it's just that they monitor the cells during the day, but not at night."

"Where are you?" I'm glancing all around the cell but there is no one.

Just me.

"I think we're neighbors." The voice answers.

That makes sense. I am obviously in just one cell of many.

"Are…you…real?"

The voice laughs, "It's a complicated question, but yeah, I'd say so."

God it was so nice to be talking to another person.

And maybe I'm crazy and my brain has devised the sound of another voice just to comfort me, but at least I have company.

"What's your name?" The voice asks.

The voice that sounds so familiar.

"…Cara." I say

The voice goes silent.

"Hello? Oh please don't go! I feel like I'm going crazy!"

"Cara…"

The voice again. The voice that sounds so familiar…like Zeke, only…

"Oh my god…Uriah?"

I move towards the wall of the cell leaning against it.

"_Uriah,_ is that you?"

There is no answer, and I start to get desperate.

"Uriah, it's me. It's Cara." I press my palm flat against the wall that probably connects us.

"I had no idea that they would bring you down here, I mean, I heard them talking about it but…" His voice trails off.

"Uriah, what is happening? How did you…how are you here, right now? Is this real?"

I feel like I'm living in a dream.

This can't happen.

This is not reality; people just can't keep coming back from the dead like this.

Only they can.

And they are.

I take a deep breath.

"I thought you were…" I can't finish.

"I don't know. I…I just remember…flashing lights and then…I woke up in here. I'm not sure what happened or why…but I'm here."

"Why would they bring you back? I don't understand." I say mostly to myself.

"What do you mean?" He sounds confused.

It dawns on me that he might not know that he was dead at all. Tris knew, because she'd made a choice. Uriah was different. Uriah hadn't seen it coming.

I lean against the wall, closing my eyes.

"Uriah, I don't know how to tell you this, so I'm just going to say it. You died six years ago, along with Tris Prior."

The voice goes silent.

"…Uriah?"

"I'm sorry, I'm just processing. It sort of makes sense now."

"What does?"

"The reason I can't remember anything. The things I've been hearing. Something about…a genetically pure world?"

I nod, and then stop myself realizing Uriah can't see me.

"Yeah. They want to create one. They must have brought you back because you're divergent. The same reason they want Tris."

"They brought Tris back to?" Uriah questions.

"In a big way, yeah." I say

"This is crazy."

"It is, but I can't say that I'm sad to hear your voice again." I smile and the cuts on my cheek ache.

"Six years?" he says.

"I know. It doesn't seem like that long ago to me either."

"Do you see Zeke a lot?"

"Not a lot. But I see him. He's good. He's okay. He and Shauna…they're really good."

"Do you think…now that everyone is sort of…back…" He trails off and I know he is thinking of Marlene.

But Marlene wasn't divergent. I don't see why they'd need her.

I let out a sigh.

"I wouldn't get your hopes up, Uriah."

He falls quiet then and so do I.

I want to let him be alone with his thoughts and my eyelids are heavy from lack of food and sleep.

My eyelids close of their own accord and I am asleep within the minute

**Tris**

The morning comes too quickly.

Maybe because we haven't been sleeping all that long.

We'd been too pre-occupied with other things during the night.

I am wrapped in Tobias' comforter; my head nestled into his shoulder, just the way I like.

He is still asleep and I don't have the heart to wake him just yet.

Today everything changes.

Right now he looks so peaceful.

His arm is flung over his eyes and his legs are sticking out in opposite directions.

He is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.

I lean up a little and press a kiss to his torso. He squirms and rolls over. I laugh as quietly as I can manage and then I do it again.

He rolls back over towards me, and then he opens one eye.

I lean on my elbow.

"Good morning."

He makes a groaning noise and shakes his head.

"Too early." He mumbles.

"Oh come on…it's not that early…" I touch his shoulder. "Please? I want breakfast."

He opens both his eyes then and looks up at me.

"Breakfast she wants, breakfast she gets." He grumbles.

He sits up in bed. He reaches for a T-shirt on the floor and I watch him, still wrapped in the comforter.

He throws a black t-shirt over his head and then turns to me his hand reaching for my left one.

He takes it and holds it in his own, his finger brushing the little silver ring he'd given me. He brings my hand to his lips and kisses it before dropping my hand.

"How do eggs sound?"

"Delicious." I say with a smile.

He watches me for a moment, and then he slides himself back onto the bed next to me.

"After this is all over, I promise you, it can be like this every morning. I need you to remember that today."

He touches my ring again and then he stands up and leaves the bedroom shutting the door behind him.

I take a few moments to find clothes. I still haven't had a chance to get anything of my own but I make do with Tobias' T-shirt's and the few shorts and jeans I'd borrowed from Cara.

I slip on a blue t-shirt of Tobias' and a pair of Cara's jeans before pulling my hair up into a ponytail.

I walk out to the kitchen and Tobias is standing over the stove flipping eggs. Evelyn sits at the counter watching him.

He turns his head a little to look at me.

"Good morning." He says softly a little smile on his lips. I take a seat at the counter next to Evelyn.

She turns to me for a moment and then her eyes fall on my left hand. I twist the ring around my finger so the diamond is pointing downwards.

I don't know why, but I feel scared of Evelyn's reaction.

She raises eyebrows.

"That's a very specific ring on a very specific finger, Tris." She says softly, bringing a mug to her lips.

Tobias turns around quickly scooping eggs onto a plate.

"Do you want some eggs, Evelyn?" He asks.

She looks up at him, a strange look on her voice. I had a feeling it had to do with him calling her Evelyn instead of mom.

He places a plate in front of her and then one in front of me.

"Tobias, do you have something to tell me?" she asks.

Tobias looks at me and then lets out a soft sigh.

"I wanted to wait until after today but…I asked Tris to marry me last night."

The room is silent. I can't read Evelyn's expression, but there is so much tension in the room.

"Oh. That's nice."

She forces a smile. I look down into the plate wishing I could disappear into my eggs.

"That's nice? That's all you have to say to your only son getting married?"

She looks up at him, shrugging.

"I think we can talk about it later."

Tobias lets out a little scoff and rolls his eyes.

I am so grateful when the doorbell rings.

"That must be Caleb…I'll get it." I slid out of my seat and half-run to the door.

**Tobias/Four**

Tris and Caleb are talking in the other room. Evelyn is helping me clean up from breakfast. I throw a few dishes in the sink and she starts the water.

Whenever I am alone with her like this I am reminded so much of my childhood that it almost hurts.

The quiet moments between her and I when Marcus was at work or gone for the day where we could just be…at peace. Happy and together.

We were bonded in our fear but we were also bonded in our happiness.

"Why do you hate Tris so much?" I ask as she hands me a paper towel to dry with.

She shakes her head.

"I don't. I don't know why you think that."

I raise my eyebrows.

"Really? Because you look at her like…like she's nothing."

She sighs a little, scrubbing at a plate.

"Tobias. A mother always has trouble letting go of her son. I know that you love her. That's all that matters."

"Is it?" I press.

"I worry for you. That's all. Tris is a wild card. I'd prefer it if you chose someone…stable and safe…someone who won't hurt you."

I consider her words. She is not telling me new information. Cara had said the same thing. Tris is dangerous.

And she is.

I wouldn't have her any other way though.

"I think that's point. I'd rather be hurt by here a thousand times over then be with anybody else right now."

Evelyn turns towards me placing a hand on my shoulder.

"I don't think I've ever told you…how sorry I am." She swallows.

"I shouldn't have left when I did. I should've taken you with me, but I truly thought you were safer here than with me. I didn't…" She pauses, shaking her head.

"I'm sorry, Tobias. I am so very sorry."

"It's old news, Evelyn, really I don't need apology."

She nods.

"I just wanted you to know. In case…If something happens today. I just want you to know how much I love you."

She reaches up and touches my cheek.

"Mom…" I say softly. "It's okay. Really. It's…I have you now. That's enough."

She smiles at me and I hug her, holding her for longer than I have in quite awhile.

"I love you, Tobias." She whispers.

I squeeze her tightly.

"I love you too, Mom."


	17. Chapter 17

**Tris**

We have been driving in Tobias' truck for a long time. I am in the middle squished between Tobias, who is driving, and Caleb. Shauna and Zeke are on Caleb's other side.

David's headquarters are at the edge of the city, Tobias had told us that before we left, but I hadn't imagined it was going to take this long to get there.

My whole being feels like a livewire.

The ring on my finger feels so heavy now that the day is finally here.

I am worried.

There are too many people I care about here. I am worried we won't all make it out.

"Are you okay?" Tobias asks, glancing over at me.

"Yes, just thinking." I reply, staring out the window.

He reaches over and takes my hand in his, one hand still on the steering wheel.

We drive for a little while longer and Tobias turns off of the road and parks the car.

"We have to go the rest of the way on foot." He says quietly. "I don't want them to see us coming."

He gets out of the car first, and walks around to the trunk bed and opens it.

I follow him around with Caleb, Shauna and Zeke right behind me.

There are weapons piled in the trunk and Tobias is going through them.

He hands Shauna and Zeke two large rifles.

"These are long range." He says. "They should hit the target pretty much on their own but make sure your aim is good."

He hands me a hand gun, and slips another one into his own waistband.

He turns to Caleb.

"You won't be leaving the car, so I didn't think you'd need a gun, just…" He reaches into the trunk and pulls out a laptop, "...this." He hands the computer to Caleb.

"Can you do your thing from here?"

Caleb nods, taking the laptop in his hands. He shuts the trunk, and sets the laptop on top of it and turns it on.

"I can start now; hopefully by the time you get there the gate will be disabled."

Tobias nods and touches Caleb's shoulder.

"Thank you. We couldn't do this without you." He walks over to Shauna and Zeke and starts going over where they should be when we get to David's headquarters.

Caleb looks at me.

"So here we are again." He smiles a little.

I nod. "Yeah, here we are."

"Tris—"

"Don't…I know. You want me alive. Tobias wants me alive, and Evelyn wants me alive too. I'm going to try my best."

He reaches over and pulls me into his arms.

"I swear if you make it through this. I'll be a better brother to you." He whispers in my ear. I hold onto him, breathing him in for just a moment.

Caleb. My brother. The only family I have left.

"I got to go." I whisper.

He lets go of me, and I walk over to Tobias, Shauna and Zeke.

"Ready?" Tobias asks me.

I shrug. "Ready as I'll ever be."

He takes my hand and we start the walk to David's headquarters.

**Cara**

"Cara! Cara, wake up! Hurry!"

I jolt out of my sleep at the sound of my name.

I am leaning against the wall of my cell, my mouth feels dry, and I am so hungry.

"What? What is it?" I say

"Shh…listen." Uriah's voice replies.

I pause, waiting and then I hear them.

Voices.

They sound like they're coming from directly above our heads.

"Who is that?" I ask

"It's David…and someone else I can't make out."

We both fall silent again, listening.

It is definitely two men talking in loud angry voices.

The one that sounds like David is the angriest.

"You said I'd have total control!"

The other voice, the one we don't recognize, laughs.

"I gave you total control and look what you did with it."

There is a pounding sound and then David speaks again.

"I brought Tris Prior back from the dead FOR YOU!"

"Yes, and that was all very well but now we have a huge mess on our hands."

"I did what you asked!"

It goes silent then.

"What is going on?" I say, confusion swirling in my head.

"I don't know, but this seems bigger than just David, don't you think?" Uriah questions.

"I don't understand. Who else would want to do something like this?"

I honestly can't think of a single person who would want this, then again the other voice sounded like his plan was going all wrong.

The voices pick up again.

"You better hope against hope that Tobias doesn't make his way here before were good and ready."

The voice sounds somewhat familiar, but I can't place it.

"He doesn't even know where we are." David replies.

"He's not stupid, David. He works for Johanna. He knows exactly where we are."

They are quiet again for a moment and then David speaks again.

"What if we release the girlfriend? Cara? That way he'll have no reason to come here."

My heart soars.

God. Please.

They're going to let me out.

I only have the chance to think that for about a half a second because the other voice replies way too quickly.

"No…let him come. Let's test his boundaries, see how much he really cares about her."

My heart plummets.

I am not getting out. It is only going to get worse.

"Why do you want to punish him so much?" David asks.

"Trust me, it's for his own good."

_For his own good._

I am spinning.

I know exactly who that other voice belongs to, and it is going to break Tobias' whole heart.

The voices are gone then, and Uriah speaks to me.

"They're planning something for Four aren't they?" he asks.

I press my forehead against the wall.

"Yes."

"I wish I knew whose voice that was." Uriah says sounding frustrated.

"I know who it is." I say softly.

"Who?" Uriah asks.

I take in a deep breath and then I say the words that I know are true.

"It's Marcus Eaton."

**Tobias/Four**

Just when I start to think that we will be walking forever we reach the end of a field and I see the outline of David's headquarters in front of me. It is a huge building with probably around fifteen stories. I let out a small sigh.

Tris looks up at me and then at the building in the distance.

"Wow…" she says softly. "David's doing pretty well for himself."

I close my eyes as a defeated breath escapes me.

"We're never going to find her…."

Tris shakes her head and reaches over to touch my shoulder.

"Don't say that. We have every chance in the world to find her. Things are going to be okay. Don't count your chickens before they hatch."

I open my eyes, looking at her for a moment.

"That's such a strange saying."

She rolls her eyes.

"Really? You're going to nitpick at my figures of speech? Now?"

I shake my head and lean down to kiss her forehead.

"Should we position ourselves?" Zeke asks from behind me.

I turn to look at him and then I nod.

"Yes."

Zeke takes Shauna's hand and they start to walk towards the building.

"Hey Zeke!" I say quickly.

He turns around, raising his eyebrows at me, I run forward a little bit and then I pull him into a hug.

"Thank you for doing this, I know it's a lot."

Zeke shrugs. "It's for Cara."

Shauna nods. "We care about her too, Four."

I smile a little and they are off again, heading towards the great building.

I walk back over to Tris and we watch the two of them disappear from view.

"Are you ready for this?"

"I don't think I'll ever truly be ready." She replies, "...but I don't want to wait any longer." She starts to move forward but I grab onto her hand.

"Just a little longer…" I mumble, pulling her close.

She looks at me and shakes her head.

"No. Don't do this. Don't act like you're going to lose me and you have to fit in all our time into this one moment. This isn't going to be like last time. I promise."

I let out a long sigh,

"I know that. That's not what I'm doing. I just...want to spend a moment with you before things get crazy."

"That's what last night was for." She says in a tired voice.

I shake my head pressing my forehead to hers.

"I love you, Tris Prior."

"And I love you, Tobias Eaton."

I close my eyes and press my lips to hers.

There are always explosions and electricity when I kiss her, this time is no different.

She pulls away first and it takes everything I have in me to not kiss her all over again, but I know if I do, I won't be able to stop and now is not the time.

"Okay. I'm ready."

I squeeze her hand and we walk towards the building.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Thank you for all your lovely feedback :) I'm glad you guys enjoy this story as much as I am having fun writing it. Please don't hesitate to tell me what you think. Read on lovelies. **

**Tris**

As we approach the building I know Shauna and Zeke are already positioned on the perimeter somewhere but I don't see them.

That is good; it means they are doing their job well.

I see the security gate and it practically bristles with electricity.

"Whoa…" I say in a little voice.

Tobias nods. "That thing has enough power to blow us to pieces. Literally."

I watch the gate, holding the gun tight in my right hand. I lean down and pick up a rock. I toss it at the gate and the rock completely disintegrates within seconds.

"They're really not messing around when it comes to trespassers are they?" I question.

Tobias shakes his head.

"No. But Caleb will figure it out. I know he will."

I sigh, "My brother, the erudite."

Tobias laughs.

"I think you're just jealous because he's smarter than you."

I stick my tongue out at him and he laughs again.

"Wait…look…" Tobias says in a quiet voice and we both look up at the gate. It seems stagnant now, where before it seemed buzzing with life.

Tobias reaches down for another rock and tosses it at the gate. It hits the metal and bounces right back off, unharmed.

"Caleb…." I breathe.

Tobias nods. "It's go time." He takes my hand and we move through the high-powered gate as if it were a regular doorway.

**Cara**

The metal bars slide open and Matthew is standing in front of me.

I let out a tired sigh.

"What now?"

Matthew looks uncomfortable, like he doesn't really want to be here.

I'm having trouble feeling any sympathy for him.

"I just have to take you upstairs, okay?" He looks at the floor and not at me, it makes me want to punch him in the face.

"Why? What's upstairs?"

He doesn't answer me, just continues to stare determinedly down at the floor.

I lick my lips.

"Matthew…" I say slowly. "We're friends. At least I thought we were…You do all this to me and…" I shake my head. "…and now you won't even answer my question? How could you do this to me?"

"There are some things that are more important than friendship."

I shake my head. "Who put these bullshit ideals into your head? I will never forgive you for this. Never."

Matthew doesn't answer me, he just grabs me by the arm and we are suddenly walking away from my cell.

I try to take notice of everything around me but there are so many floors, and they all look the same that I wouldn't be able to find my way through this place even if I wasn't dead tired and starving.

After two staircases and an elevator ride we finally reach where were supposed to be going.

I am grateful because my legs feel like they're going to give out.

Matthew pulls me over to an office door and knocks, the door swings open and he shoves me inside but instead of coming in with me, he closes the door.

I turn around instantly and try the door but it is locked.

"Hey!" I bang on the door. "Matthew!"

I am still banging on the door when a light switch goes on.

I pause and then I slowly turn around.

The room looks different when it's flooded with light.

For one thing, it is huge.

The walls are lined with bookcases which makes it even more ominous.

The next thing I see is a desk.

It is the person behind the desk that is the most intimidating thing in the room.

"Hello Cara." Marcus Eaton says to me and the shaking starts right away.

"Don't say my name like we're friends."

Marcus leans back in his chair, nodding.

"I can understand why you feel that way. You've been through a lot."

"Don't talk to me about what I've been through."  
"Cara, I'm here to help you. I'm going to release you from all of your pain."

I shake my head. "Why would you do that? You caused most of it."

He shrugs, "Well, I think my son helped along the way."

I roll my eyes.

"What do you know about your son? You haven't spoken to him in over six years. After your embarrassing attempt at seizing control."

He places his hands on the desk.

"I admit, things didn't go the way I planned, but they will this time."

I laugh, shaking my head. "What exactly is your plan here? Because from my view point you don't have anything."

"I'm creating a whole new world here Cara, don't you see?"

"I see a man so blinded by power that he can't find his way out."

"That's where you're wrong; I'm not blinded by it. I thrive off of it. I always have."

"Four isn't afraid of you anymore. Whatever you're planning, it's not going to work."

I can say that with confidence, because I know Four. He's worked through his "daddy issues" and there is nothing Marcus Eaton can do to him that he hasn't already done.

"We'll see about that." Marcus opens a desk drawer and pulls out an injector. I can see the serum swirling inside it.

I can tell by the color that it isn't death serum and that at least is comforting.

"What is that?"

I hate that I have to ask him anything, but I need to know.

"This? You'll find out soon enough." His eyes move to the laptop on the desk, I look over, trying to be as discreet as possible.

I don't want him to know that I'm curious.

There are black and white images moving across the screen, its security footage of the building.

I recognize Tris and Tobias right away.

They are here.

They really came for me.

The feeling in my heart is indescribable.

Marcus places the injector on the desk table and then he looks towards the door.

"Matthew?"

The office door creaks open and Matthew re-enters. The coward.  
"Do me a favor and secure Cara while I deal with my son."

Matthew moves towards me, and grabs me by the arm again.

I am so sick of people dragging me around, but I don't have the energy to fight it.

He presses a button on the wall and one of the book cases slides open to reveal a small shallow open space.

Matthew pushes me inside and then the bookcase slides closed.

**Tobias/Four **

Tris' hand feels so small in mine.

I feel obligated to protect her the best way that I can and I worry because I'm not sure I'm equipped to do it.

We move along the wall of the building, staying close so that we aren't seen.

The building is giant, and I don't even know where to begin to start but we've gotten this far and there is no turning back.

We finally reach a doorway and I instantly try the knob to no avail.

It is locked, of course it is.

I pull the gun from my waistband and point it straight at the lock.

Tris touches my arm and I lower it, looking over at her.

"Maybe we should try my way first…You know, it's a little less conspicuous."

I nod, putting the gun down by my side.

"You're right. Have at it."

She stares at the lock for a moment and then closes her eyes.

I watch her rather than the lock and before I know it the door swings wide open.

Tris opens her eyes and a smile forms on her lips.

"And_ that_ is how you open a lock."

I shake my head.

"Alright super girl, let's go."

Once we enter, it is clear we are on the bottom floor of the building. The floor is made of concrete and it's freezing down here.

There is a long hallway ahead of us and no windows to speak of.

"This is so strange…what do they use this for?"

My voice echoes even though I speak in barely a whisper.

Tris shrugs.

"I don't know. It seems sort of like a prison."

_Prison._

_Cara._

I take her hand and start jogging along the hallway.

"Come on, this has to be where they're keeping here. It has to be."

We run along the hallway together and eventually we come to another doorway.

It's locked again but this time I don't wait for Tris to work her magic, I start kicking the door, and then I throw myself against it, shoulder first. It relents easily under my weight.

We walk through the doorway together and we are confronted with row upon row of cells.

Tiny squares with metal bars in front of them to lock the occupants in.

My heart squeezes thinking of Cara and how she had spent the last two nights here.

Tris starts walking along the rows of cells.

"They're all empty…" She says softly.

I start to follow her and see that it's true.

The cells are empty.

If Cara had been here at some point she certainly wasn't here anymore.

We hear a jingle of keys and I grab Tris by the arm and pull her close to the wall beside me.

We watch as a man in a mask comes in from the opposite end of the hallway.

He opens the bars of the last cell, puts something inside and then slides the bars back into place and walks out of the hallway.

I glance at Tris, who is looking at me with the same confused expression on her face as my own.

We half-run to the end of the hallway and the cell we'd just seen opened.

Tris gets there before me and I can tell by the way her mouth falls open that something is wrong.

I come up behind her and when my eyes meet the cell, I am face to face with someone I didn't think I'd ever see again.

Not in this capacity.

Uriah.

_Uriah._

"…Tris?...Four..?" Uriah says, and all I can do is stare because this is the one thing I had not been expecting.

"Oh my god…" Tris kneels down pushing her arm through the cell and Uriah reaches out to touch her hand.

"What are they doing to you?" She whispers.

Uriah shakes his head. "I'm not sure what they want, but I've been in here for weeks."

Tris shakes her head, "I'm so sorry. We didn't know. I had no idea…I would've…"

She pauses and then looks up at me.

I have no answers; I have no idea what to say.

"I didn't know either…" my mouth feels dry.

I am over-whelmed with memories from the bureau and the explosion and seeing Uriah hooked up to all those machines, and having to face his family, having to see the look on Zeke's face.

My stomach turns.

I clutch the gun tightly in my hand to steady myself.

"They brought you back too?"

Uriah nods, "I guess so. Cara told me that they did the same with you, Tris."

Tris nods, but I am stuck on the fact that he mentioned Cara.

"Cara? You spoke to her?"

Uriah nods again, "Yeah. She was in here with me, but Matthew came and got her this morning…I don't know where they took her."

I let out a frustrated sigh. They know I'm here. Why else would they move her?

"What is this place? Why were they keeping you guys here?" Tris asks.

Uriah shrugs. "This is where they keep prisoners. That's what I think anyway."

"What do you mean?" She says and I try not to worry about Cara, or the time we're losing.

"I mean…they bring people down here for awhile, and then they drag them out and I never hear them again and then somebody new comes in. Cara was the first person they brought down here that I knew."

Suddenly the names on Johanna's list start to make sense. This is where they were keeping the 'genetically damaged' that they were killing off.

Poor Uriah.

He'd probably made friends with several people who were already dead.

It just doesn't make sense that they would keep Uriah down here with all the rest.  
"But you're divergent. They need you. Why would they keep you in the same place they

keep the so-called genetically damaged?" I ask.

Uriah shrugs.

"I don't know. It's not something I ever really took the time to ask."

We are quiet after that for just a moment and then I realize that our precious time is slipping away.

Cara could be anywhere by now and we have to find her.

We have to get out of here.

"Tris, we have to go. We have to find her before they move her again."

She stands up, looking at Uriah.

"He has to come with us."

I glance at Uriah, and then I shake my head.

"We don't have time to figure out how to get him out of his cell right now, Tris."

She gives me a look that says she doesn't care.

"Just give me a minute." She says and then she closes her eyes.

The cell door springs open and Uriah jumps to his feet.

He exits the cell and slams the bars shut behind him like he has a vendetta against it, and honestly he probably does.

I know I would.

He looks from Tris to the cell door and shakes his head.

"Learn some new tricks while I've been away?"

Tris smiles, "It's a really long story and I'll explain it all to you later but right now, we've really got to go."

Uriah nods.

"I know they took her upstairs, but I've never been anywhere but down here so I won't be of much help in that department, but I know the general direction of where I've been hearing the voices."

"The voices?" Tris asks

Uriah nods, "Yeah, David's and…" His eyes move to look at me.

"What?" I ask

"There's something you should know about all this…"

I shake my head and then shrug, but I'm not sure I want to know what is making Zeke look at me like a damaged puppy.

"David's not the one behind all this." Uriah says in a small voice.

I raise my eyebrows, "So then, who is?"

Uriah licks his lips and then his eyes lock with mine.

"Marcus Eaton."


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N:**

**I apologize for the longer wait times, were in the final stretch and things are getting more intricate to write. Anyways, here you go :) As always, tell me what you think!**

**Tris**

I watch Tobias for his reaction, but I don't see anything change in his face. Not one flicker of an emotion flashes across his beautiful face.

Uriah is waiting for a reaction to, but none comes.

Instead, Tobias just shrugs.

"Well, he's evil enough." He finally says in a quiet voice.

"Tobias…"

He shakes his head.

"Don't."

His voice sounds definitive. Final.

I close my eyes. He is not handling this the way he should be.

"You're upset. I know you are." I say, trying to sound as soothing as possible, "And it's okay. It's just a new development and we'll just take it as it comes, okay?"

"I don't need a lecture. David or Marcus, I don't care. I'm just getting Cara, and then we're leaving."

I lick my bottom lip, "Tobias, you know this is bigger than that now. I know you know that."

He shakes his head.

"No, Tris, it's really not. So what? My abusive, corrupted by power, father decides he wants to try and seize power again by getting rid of all the genetically damaged?"

He shakes his head and then shrugs.

"Great. Fine. Let him have at it. I don't care. I want to get the people that I care about, the hell out of this situation and then I want to move. I want to move so far away from Chicago that in order to get back here I have to fly on about three dozen of those death traps that they call airplanes. Understand?"

I touch his arm, shaking my head.

"Tobias, innocent people are going to die."

He clenches his fists.

"It is not my problem."

I bite my lip.

"How can you say that? What if it was Shauna or Zeke's name on that list of Johanna's? Or Evelyn's? or Cara's?"

He stares at me for a moment and then shakes his head.

"I don't want to DO this again. I don't want to be a part of it!"

I can see the pain in his eyes and hear the pressure in his voice.

He wants to live a normal life, but he wasn't granted that luxury.

_We _weren't granted that luxury.

I shake my head.

"I know you don't. But, you _are_ involved, and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry that we can't just be normal. I'm sorry that we can't just have normal lives, and get married and just be happy but this is what we're meant to do and the sooner you accept that, the easier it will be."

He turns away from me, his hands resting behind his neck for a moment. He paces back and forth a few feet and then he turns back to us.

"I proposed to you…" He says in such a quiet, sad voice that it makes my heart ache.

I nod.

"I know and I'm not saying that it's not going to happen, I would never say that. I'm just saying we have things to do before we can just…move out of the city and forget all about it."

Uriah raises his eyebrows. "Whoa, you guys are engaged? Right on!"

I turn to look at him and he raises his hand.

"Sorry, bad timing."

"Tobias," I say in a quiet voice. "Tell me that you understand what I'm saying. Please."

"I understand what you're saying." He says in a dull voice.

I nod. "Good." I reach out and touch his hand.

"I'm sorry." I whisper.

He pulls his hand away looking at the ground.

"You don't really want to marry me, do you?"

"What?" I say, disbelief coating my voice. Why does he always have to assume the worst? Had he been listening at all?

"No! What makes you think that? We have a situation to deal with right now, but that doesn't mean I don't want to marry you! If I wanted anything else but you I would've said no when you asked me. You know me better than that, or at least I thought you did."

"Then, let's just leave!" he sounds so desperate and serious.

"All of us. We'll find Cara, and then you me, Cara, Shauna, Zeke, Uriah, Caleb…we'll go somewhere. Together. Anywhere. Away from all of this."

"You know I can't do that. Not yet."

"Why?"

"Why? Is that a real question? Tobias, I'm not going to let innocent people die. If I can help them, I'm going to! I was brought back for a reason and I'm not going to waste my second opportunity. Please understand that. If you really love me, if you really want me, you will understand why I can't just run away with you right now."

He takes a moment and then he leans against the metal bars of the cell.

He turns to Uriah.

"Which direction do you hear the voices coming from?" He asks, his voice sounds so small, like it's lost its entire luster.

Uriah looks from me to Tobias and then he points up towards the ceiling and to the right.

Tobias doesn't say anything; he just takes off in the direction Uriah pointed.

I glance at Uriah and then I take a couple steps to follow Tobias and motion for Uriah to do the same.

**Tobias/Four**

I am seeing red. The anger is intense and it pulses through me like an ocean.

There is nothing in my life that has not been ruined by Marcus Eaton.

He ruined my childhood, my home, my ability to let people in and a whole host of other things that I don't have the energy to think about.

I don't think I've ever been this angry before, but I am semi-grateful for it. This way, I can handle whatever Marcus has coming for me.

Marcus.

My father.

My father, who is still trying to ruin my life after all these years.

Ever since the words 'Marcus Eaton' had left Uriah's mouth my brain has been playing re-runs of my childhood.

_Tobias, this is for your own good._

_I'm trying to make you better._

_You'll thank me for this one day._

I can practically still feel the bruises from his belt. The belt that I still have nightmares about when I go to sleep unguarded.

We march through about six different hallways all leading in different directions before Uriah pauses.

"I don't know where we are. I'm lost. I think the voices came from up here, but I can't be sure."

There's an elevator across the way and I walk directly to it, pressing the little light up button.

"What are you doing? How do you know it's further up?" Tris asks.

I shrug. "My father would want to be at the top. It's his dream after all. Marcus Eaton always wants to be the center of attention."

Tris sighs and I don't even have the heart to look at her right now.

I don't want to see the look of disappointment on her face because I want to leave Chicago.

We pile in the elevator and I press the button that says fifteen on it.

It takes awhile, but we finally arrive.

There is only one doorway in this hallway and I know instantly that it is his.

It is Marcus'.

"Do you want me to try?" Tris asks staring at the lock.

I shake my head.

"No, I'm just going to knock. Trust me, he's expecting me." If I knew my father at all, he'd been the one to set this all up.

For me.

_For my own good._

I raise my fist to knock, but the door swings open before I get the chance.

David greets me with a smile, leaning on his walking stick.

"Ah. Tobias. Come in."

I move into the room and David looks out of the door way.

"Come along, Tris, you too." He says motioning for her to step inside as well.

This is the first time that Tris has come face to face with her murderer.

She is strong. She can handle it, but I can't. I place an arm out to keep her back. She looks up at me a little shocked.

"Tobias, I'm coming with you."

I shake my head, "Maybe you shouldn't."

She looks at me, her eyebrows wrinkling. "I don't care what you say. I'm coming. This isn't just about you."

She is too headstrong for her own good,

I let out a little sigh; the fear running through me is not for me, but for her. I can't let anything happen to her the way I've already let them happen to Cara.

I take her hand.

"Just stay close to me, alright?"

She nods a little and I pull her inside the room with me.

David grins at us. I know he doesn't remember what happened six years ago but that doesn't reduce the urge to shoot him.

Tris doesn't even flinch at being in the same room as him. She is so strong, and in this moment I wish I could be just like her instead of feeling this shaking anxiety.

David looks around the doorway and his expression becomes annoyed once his eyes land on Uriah.

"I see you've found our _other_ special guest, alright then, you come in too."

Uriah follows Tris' footsteps and we are all inside a gigantic office with bookshelves lining the walls and a desk in the middle of the room.

There are several men in masks lining the walls as well. They are all armed but none of them move towards us.

Marcus is prepared; he has men on hand in case we try anything.

The gun in my waistband feels useless now. We are outnumbered.

The chair behind the desk turns around slowly and I am face to face with my father, just like I knew I would be.

"Tobias."

His voice sounds just like it does in my fear landscape.

I try not to shiver or shake.

I learned a long time ago that you can never show Marcus Eaton weakness.

"You've finally made it."

"Where is she?"

I don't want to play games with him. I just want Cara.

Marcus shrugs, "We'll get to that. I promise, but I have a few questions first."

"I'm not answering anything; just tell me where Cara is."

Marcus blinks.

"You're not any position to make demands Tobias. My questions aren't for you anyway."

He turns to Tris.

"I've been waiting a long time for a meeting with you. My son keeps you all to himself."

Tris shakes her head, but doesn't say anything.

Marcus sits back in his chair.

"Tris, it would really be in your best interest to be polite."

She crosses her arms over her chest.

"I'm not in a very polite mood." She says through her teeth.

Tris talking back to my father is giving me intense anxiety. I squeeze her hand tightly, but she ignores it.

Marcus grins.

"I have a business proposition for you." He says, almost sickly sweet.

"A business proposition?" Tris questions, "What makes you think I'd ever work with you?"

"You did once before."

He had her there.

Tris rolls her eyes.

"Yes, and you see how well that worked out for me." She shakes her head. "Never again."

He smiles and I resist the urge to punch him in the face.

"Tobias, you should be thanking me really. I brought her back for you, and now you can live out your torrid love affair. Isn't that what you wanted?"

I am shaking. I hate him. I hate him so much.

"You know nothing about what I want."

Marcus shakes his head, "Like it or not, Tobias _Eaton _you and I are a lot alike."

"We share a last name. That about covers it." I spit.

He raises his eyebrows. "Really? I heard you gave Christina a bruise a while back. Is that true?"

I say nothing. I refuse to give him the satisfaction but my stomach squeezes at the memory of my hands around Christina's throat. I am more like him than I want to be and he knows it.

He laughs and then shakes his head. "Not so high and mighty anymore, are we?"

He turns away from me and turns to Tris.

"Tris, I could really use your help here."

I can't help but laugh. He truly thinks that he will get to us this way. Get to _her. _Tris is stronger than this…and so am I.

"She's not going to play the pawn in your stupid power play." I pull her close to me and I see the masked men shuffle around a bit.

They're scared I'm going to make a move, but I wouldn't dare. Not just yet.

"I'm not going to help you. Ever." She says, shakily.

"Well, never say never." Marcus shrugs. "I want you…no, I need you to head my campaign to end the genetically damaged."

Tris laughs, "Why the hell would I do that?"

"Because the alternative is worse."

Tris shakes her head. "What could be worse than innocent deaths?"

"Plan B."

Marcus presses a button on his desk, and one of the bookcases slides back and Cara falls out from behind it.

"Cara!"

I want to run to her, but I don't. I don't want to risk the masked men deciding I am a danger and opening fire. I am so relieved that I can finally see for myself that she is okay, or at least alive.

She coughs and I have never been so happy to hear a stupid cough in my life.

"Cara, you're okay." I say from across the room "It's going to be okay now, I promise. I'm here. I'm right here."

She looks so weak and broken and it breaks my heart. I will never be _in_ love with her but that doesn't mean I don't love her. I do. She's family.

"Cara…say something. Please."

She coughs a few more times and then her eyes flutter open, they flit across the room until they finally land on me.

"…Four?"

I nod vigorously. "Yeah. Yes. It's me. You're okay now, I promise it's all going to be oh—" before I can even get the whole sentence out the masked men lining the walls are surrounding me. They pull me back away from Tris, they must not have liked what I was saying to Cara but I grab onto Tris' arm.

"No! She stays with me."

Marcus nods at the men and they let me pull Tris close to my chest. She is mine. They can't have her.

Cara is lying on the floor, there are cuts all over her cheeks and collar bone; she looks like the lightest touch would knock her over. A couple of the men pick her up and drag her to Marcus' desk and Marcus pulls out an injector. I see the serum swirling inside it and I know exactly what kind of serum it is.

My stomach drops.

Undiluted fear serum.

The same one Jeanine had used on Tris in the Erudite compound.

I feel like I can't breathe.

He holds the injector needle next to Cara's throat and then he looks at Tris and I.

"I am going to ask you one more time to join me Tris, and head my campaign."

"Go to hell." Tris replies but I can feel her start to shake.

Marcus turns to me then.

"Tobias…Who's more important to you, Cara…?" He touches the needle to her neck. "…or Tris?" he pulls the needle away for a moment.

"You're sick." is all I can manage to say.

Marcus shrugs. "There comes a time in every man's life when he as to make a choice, Tobias."

"Don't do this." I say through my teeth. "Don't do this to her, she's not a part of this…any of it."

Cara is innocent, as innocent as they come, but Marcus Eaton doesn't care about that. She's disposable to him because she's "genetically damaged".

Marcus shakes his head and then I watch the needle pierce Cara's neck.

"NO!" I yell, but it is too late.

The scream that fills the room cannot be described with words.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Hi again :) So, originally this story was going to end with an epilogue and all that jazz making it very final, but I've had a couple ideas to continue it so I was wondering if anyone would be interested in a sequel? Leave a review letting me know. Also, tell me what you think of the chapter. You guys rock, read on. **

**Tris**

I feel Cara's pain harder than I'd imagined.

I know what fear serum feels like, I know exactly what she's going through, and it's all because of _me_.

She is terrified and I know there is nothing she can do to make it stop, because it isn't a dream or a simulation, it's real to her.

I look up at Tobias and his expression cuts through me like a knife. It is guilt, and anxiety and pain all rolled into one.

I want to take his and Cara's pain away and the worst part is knowing that I can, and that it would be easy.

It would be easy to give myself up to Marcus.

But I promised.

I promised Tobias I wouldn't do anything reckless.

I promised Tobias not to be the martyr.

I promised Tobias my life.

Tobias is staring at Cara and the pain in his eyes is so visible that my chest aches. This is torture for him, listening to her screams and not being able to do anything about it…his is killing him.

I want to make it stop for him, but I promised.

All at once his eyes flash up to meet Marcus'.

"Okay! …You can have Tris. Just make it stop." His voice sounds desperate and…strange. Not normal, too high-pitched to be real.

I pull away from him my heart sinking into my stomach.

I am shocked, but also a little relieved, I don't know how much longer I would've been able to hold out.

I'm shaking, I'm so terrified, but I will do whatever he wants me to.

I can't see him like this anymore.

I nod a little. "Are you sure?"

He doesn't look down at me and that makes me start to panic a little.

Really? He was just going to give up that easily? After everything we talked about? How often he said he couldn't lose me again?

Then his hand connects with mine and he squeezes it. He's trying to tell me something, but I can't figure it out.

The masked men move towards us and Tobias' mouth reaches my ear for a moment.

"Do you trust me?" He whispers it so quietly that I barely hear him, but I nod against his chest.

"Let them take you." He kisses my forward quickly not long enough for anyone to see, and then the men are dragging me towards Marcus' desk.

Marcus smiles and Tobias looks like he's going to vomit.

"There may be hope for you yet, son."

Tobias looks away, if I know him at all, that comment bothered him simply because he wanted to be nothing like Marcus.

Marcus takes out another injector and he pierces Cara's neck with the needle and her body instantly goes limp and the screaming stops.

I see the relief flood through Tobias and then Marcus holds out his hand towards me.

"Shall we shake on it?"

I stare at his hand and then conjure up the most saliva I can manage and spit directly into his hand.

The men tighten their grasp on my arm; Marcus simply wipes his hand off with a towel from a desk drawer.

"Very well. We don't have to be cordial about it." He smiles.

Tobias takes a couple steps forward and the men make a move toward him.

He holds up his hands quickly.

"I just want to check on Cara…that's all."

Marcus nods at the men, "Let him."

The men relax then, letting him pass.

He leans on the floor next to her, and picks her up sliding her on his lap.

"Cara…are you okay?"

Cara looks up at him and nods, but she doesn't say anything.

He pulls her into a hug and I can tell he's whispering something into her ear, but no one else seems to notice.

Then all at once he stands to his feet, and pulls the gun from his waistband of his jeans and starts firing.

He hits one of the masked men holding Uriah back and Uriah hits the other one square in the jaw with his elbow which enables him to rush forward.

He doesn't have a weapon, but he is dauntless.

He knows a thing or two about combat.

He helps Tobias fight a few of the men back and then Tobias yells,

"Cara! Grab Cara!"

Uriah dodges a few of the men and then picks Cara up from the floor and drags her out of the way.

Tobias turns the gun on the other men now circling him.

"Don't shoot to kill!" Marcus screams, a few of the men drop the guns in favor of trying to restrain Tobias physically, others simply switch their aim, but he is dodging them like he was born to do this.

My arms are being held back by one of the men and he's too strong for me to fight off.

There are so many men circling Tobias.

Too many.

He's not going to win.

I have to do something.

I close my eyes and try to channel the energy that I'd used for the locks today.

I don't know if it'll work, or how, but I have to try.

I have to help Tobias.

I have to.

I feel a white-hot energy inside of me and then all of a sudden a loud boom sounds throughout the room. The masked men hit the walls on all sides and the one holding me drops to the ground.

Marcus is frozen in place.

I have no idea how I did it, but I'm thankful for it.

"We've got to go. I don't know how long this will last."

Tobias runs to the other side of the room there is a keypad there full of buttons Tobias presses three of them at random until finally, a bookcase slides open on the other side of the room.

"Let's go! Now!" His voice is urgent and serious and Uriah sprints to the door with Cara in his arms and I am only a moment behind him.

**Tobias/Four**

I don't know what I was thinking.

I knew I couldn't handle all those men on my own like that, but I'd been desperate.

I needed Cara to stop screaming like that.

I needed to save her, and this was only thing I could think of.

We are in a small shallow space now, there is a doorway at the end but I don't want to move just yet. Cara looks like she can't go any further.

Uriah is holding her up and she looks like she's giving him no help at all.

"Cara?" I say softly.

Her head turns a little to look at me.

"We're going to get you out of here okay? But I need you to gather up all the strength you have. Can you do that for me?"

She closes her eyes for a second and then she lifts herself out of Uriah's arms.

"Where are we going from here?" Tris asks, her voice sounds shaky.

I shake my head.  
"I don't know. I just want to get Cara to safety."

Cara sways like the effort of standing up is too much for her.

I reach out and take her in my arms like she is a doll.  
She falls against me, and I shake my head.

"I'm going to have to carry her."

Tris nods. "Okay…let's just start moving."

I sweep Cara up, and she wraps her arms around my neck.

We move through the doorway and we are in yet another hallway.

This place is a labyrinth.

We are never going to get out.

Uriah is in the lead and he makes a sharp right turn and goes through another doorway. As we move into the new room we see that it is a lab. We can tell by the bright white tile

covering the walls

Tris stumbles on the way in and it first I think she tripped and then I hear her words.

"…Oh my god…" She breathes.

I follow her gaze and I understand the shock now.

All around the lab there are rows upon rows of glass tanks with the same kind of yellow liquid that had covered Tris when Christina and Matthew first brought her back.

"What is this?" I question, pressing my palm against one of the tanks.

"They're..." Tris starts, but she can't seem to finish for a moment. "…They're creating people."

I turn to look at Tris, she's standing by a computer screen now, watching as data streams by.

I walk over to her with Cara still in my arms.

There is research circulating the screen.

I'm no erudite, but I get the gist.

They are _creating _a genetically pure world, in the literal sense.

_Creating_ genetically pure humans.

In a test tank.

In a laboratory.

The same way they re-created Tris.

"This is sick…" I whisper.

Tris just shakes her head.

"I don't understand…why?"

"Uh...hey guys?"

We both turn around to see Uriah standing by one of the glass tanks.

I start to move towards the glass but something catches my eye and I stop halfway there. Tris lets out a small gasp from behind me.

"Tobias…"

I shake my head quickly.

I don't want to hear her say it because I already know.

I can see it from here.

I am face to face with a replica of..._me._

I am floating in the tank just like I imagine Tris was, but my eyes are closed.

Every detail is the same down to my tattoo.

The only difference is I am alive.

This version of me doesn't seem to be breathing.

Not yet, anyway.

"Four...look." Uriah says.

He's next to a wall with a board posted to it.

It's covered in pictures.

As I get closer I see that it's pictures of me.

Me, scattering Tris' ashes.

Me, zip lining.

Me, having dinner with Evelyn.

Cara and I's first date.

Cara and I kissing.

Our old apartment.

Christina and Matthew and I.

Me, driving into work.

Me, talking with Johanna.

Tris and I at the park at the jungle gym.

All the way up to me ring shopping for Tris.

"He's been watching you…but why?" Tris says.

I know why.

Vomit sears my throat.

I slide Cara out of my arms and she stands okay on her own and I am thankful for it.

I double over, hyperventilating.

How did I ever think I could escape him?

Even in dauntless I was aware of his presence everywhere.

"What is it?" Tris comes over and places a hand on my back.

"Isn't it obvious? He's creating a new me." I breathe, "A genetically pure me. I'm not divergent. Not really. Remember? He's going to create a new me. He wants his new world, but he doesn't want to lose me as a son, because how would that make him look? So he…" I close my eyes, "He's created a new one, and then he's going to get rid of me."

Tris shakes her head.

"That doesn't add up. You heard him back there. He told them not to shoot to kill. If you were disposable he wouldn't care."

Uriah nods, "Tris is right. He must still need you for something."

I glance back at the wall with the pictures again.

"It's Tris…" I say softly. "He knows she won't cooperate if he kills me."

Tris scoffs. "I won't cooperate either way."

I feel a little flutter in my stomach at her determination and stubbornness.

That's my girl.

"He's just not willing to take the risk. Not yet." I whisper

The words are barely out of my mouth when the doors burst open.

The masked men are back and they're carrying stunners this time.

I grab Cara and back against the wall, there is a table off to the side and it is the only place in the lab suitable to hide Cara.

"Cara, stay underneath the table. I'll come back for you. I swear."

She crawls underneath the tiny table and though she isn't exactly safe there it's safer than being exposed like Uriah, Tris and I are.

I notice now that only some of them are carrying stunners, there are a few men with handguns and I wonder vaguely which one of us Marcus has declared disposable.

One of the men with guns fires and the bullet ricochets off the wall.

Tris is too close to him for comfort.

I grab her by the arm and pull her to my side.

"I can handle myself." She says defensively.

"I know that, but I don't like that some of them have guns." I pull my own from my waistband and fire.

The bullet hits one of the glass tanks and yellow liquid comes spilling out everywhere as glass shatters throughout the room.

I fire again and hit one of the masked men. He falls but the others simply step over to him to get closer to us.

Uriah is over by the computer and I have no idea what he is doing, but he's making me nervous, even though the masked men don't seem to be paying very much attention to him.

"What the hell are you doing?!" I yell to him, standing in front of Tris, just in case.

"Being smart!" he yells back, a few documents start printing off at the machine next to the computer and he grabs them before running over to us.

Tris throws him her handgun.

I raise my eyebrows at her.

"I have a superpower, remember?"

"Right." I mumble, the guards surround us and we are painfully outnumbered.

"Give us Tris or say goodbye to your friend, Tobias." One of the men sneers and then they point a gun at Uriah's face.

"I wouldn't call you my "friend", but goodbye." I hold the gun up and fire at his arm.

The scream he issues when the bullet connects with flesh gives me unfathomable joy.

"Tris!" The scream comes from behind us. Cara is standing behind Tris, but in front of Cara is a man with a gun.

The gun is pointed at Tris.

I don't think.

I just fire.

Twice.

The first bullet hits the masked man, but the second one…

The second one hits Cara.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: **

**Sorry it took so long to get the next chapter up! I was busy the last few days celebrating my birthday but I buckled down today and cranked it out. :) Please, let me know what you think in a review as always. Thanks again for reading!**

**Tris**

At first, it all feels like slow motion and then suddenly, we're racing through time at top speed. Everything is happening so fast that I feel like I don't have time to breathe and then Tobias' gun goes off and Cara hits the floor.

I see the look on his face.

I know he is reeling…Cara being hurt by his own hand…I shudder just thinking of his thoughts right now.

This is too much for him. I know it, but we don't have time to focus on his emotional state right now.

We have to get out of this situation and now.

My brain is buzzing and as the men are closing in on us, I close my eyes tightly. When I open them again, I see that I've managed to freeze the scene once more.

There are bullets in mid-air and the men are just…frozen in place.

Tobias looks at me for a about a millisecond before he tears off in Cara's direction.

I know he still cares about her, I know there will always be some feelings there and I've accepted that. It just doesn't get any easier to watch his love for her play across his face in about a million different emotions every time she gets hurt.

I watch him scoop her up and then Uriah grabs my hand and pulls me out of the laboratory and down the hall.

We run for a long time, hallway upon hallway, stair cases, and elevators until finally we reach a tiny room.

It looks like an office, but Uriah leads us inside anyway.

It's empty.

I silently thank god for granting us this one moment of solace.

Tobias lays Cara across the desk.

He is covered in her blood; it is all over his T-shirt and his hands. He is shaking and I want to comfort him so badly but I can't. I know if I start that, I'll never be able to stop.

Cara is shaking too, and there is so much blood coming out of her that I don't see how she will survive this. My heart breaks for Cara….and Tobias, because if she dies he won't come back from it.

I just know it."Cara…" Tobias says, his voice is shaky and it comes out in one big huff of breath.

It sounds so unnatural.

He is hurting so much.

Cara's eyes shift towards him.

"I'm so sorry." He touches her forehead and a little bit of blood smears where his fingers touch.

She shakes her head a little, swallowing hard, her breath coming out in large gasps.

"I…can't…" she starts, but her voice trails off. She doesn't finish the sentence, probably because she can't breathe enough air in to make the words come out right.

Tobias takes her hand and squeezes it hard.

"I'm right here with you; I won't leave you. I promise. Just breathe the best you can, okay?" He touches her shoulder, lightly.

"...You can fight this, Cara. You're so strong. You're the strongest person I know. Don't give up now. Please."

He is pleading with her like he is seconds away from falling apart and I realize that he probably is.

This is one of his worst fears.

Killing an innocent.

Cara nods a little bit in response to his words, but I can see the shallowness of her breaths, the way her face pales, and the shaking of her hands.

She doesn't have long and I have no idea what we're going to do.

It is only now that I realize exactly where the bullet had pierced her.

There is a little red circle gushing dark red blood right in the middle of her back.

Tobias' bullet had pierced her spine.

I didn't notice before, but I see now that her legs are spread out at an awkward angle. I realize that she probably can't feel them anymore, which means, even if by some miracle she makes it through this…she probably won't be able to walk.

I swallow hard as I watch a tear leak out of the corner of her eye.

"Am…I going to die?" She chokes out.

Tobias shakes his head.

"No, don't think like that. Don't talk like that."

His voice sounds dry, like it aches to even make words come out. This is the one time I wish I felt less connected to him. His pain is my pain and I don't want to have to deal with hurt like this, but I don't have a choice and neither does he.

Cara ignores him.

"Will…it hurt?" she asks

I don't know who she is talking to, but I am the only one that can answer her question with any sort of truth.

I'm the only one who has had the experience of death.

Yet again, I can feel Cara's pain easily because I know exactly what she's going through.

The bullet wound itself only hurts for a moment, after that your whole body just feels numb and light.

I walk over to her; my hand moves to smooth out a fly away hair of hers.

It is the only soothing gesture I can think of.

I shake my head, a little smile playing across my lips.

"It doesn't hurt. It's just like going to sleep." I nod. "Just relax and breathe, and it'll be like…going to sleep after a really long day. I promise."

My words seem to comfort her a little but she's still shaking and breathing, trying her best to hold on.

I understand.

I know how hard it is to let go.

Tobias grabs my arm abruptly and pulls me away from Cara.

I look up at him, confused.

We don't have time for this, we should be with Cara.

"What?" I say somewhat annoyed.

"Why would you say that to her?" Anger laces his voice.

I blink.

"Say what? That it's like going to sleep? It is."

"You're _letting_ her give up." He says shakily.

I shake my head.

"I'm not letting her do anything. She asked. I just wanted her to know the truth. Tobias, I'm just being realistic."

He looks away from me, but I use my other hand to bring his face back to level with mine. He has to accept this. He needs to understand.

"Tobias…I…I don't think she's going to make it."

He lets go of my arm as if my words have defeated him.

There is a bloody handprint on my arm now, where his fingers had been.

Uriah walks over to Cara and takes her hand.

"You're the bravest person I know, you know that?" He says softly.

She manages to smile at him but it turns into a grimace rather quickly, and then her lips start to shake.

She probably only has moments left, maybe seconds.

Uriah smiles down at her. "It's okay…just breathe…" He strokes her hair.

I close my eyes.

"Tobias…"

I am trying to be as gentle as possible.

"She's only got a few minutes left at most…"

"No." He says softly. "She's going to be fine."

I shake my head.

"I'm so sorry. I wish she was, but she isn't…You have to accept that."

I glance over at Cara and Uriah,

"..Even if she makes it through this…the bullet hit her spine, Tobias."

Uriah walks over to us then, head tilted slightly.

"What if you froze her?"

I look up at him, shaking my head just a little. "What do you mean?"

He shrugs. "What if you froze Cara? The way you froze those guys back there and Marcus?"

I shake my head, confused.

"You know…like if we could keep her injury contained long enough to get to a hospital…"

I let out a worried sigh.

"I don't even know how I did that…I don't know how to control it. I don't even know how _long_ I could keep her frozen for."

There was more than that behind my hesitation. My head felt…tired. There was no other way to explain it. It was like I'd over-stretched my super power for the day and my body was revolting.

"Would it hurt to try? She doesn't deserve this."

He's right. I know he is. If I can save Cara, I have to try. I walk over to Cara and I take her hand.

"I'm going to try something, alright?"

She looks up at me, her lips are turning blue, but she still manages to nod a little.

"Be brave, Cara." I whisper and then I close my eyes and squeeze her hand momentarily.

I try desperately to channel my newfound ability.

I am the only thing that can save Cara and that thought is what's driving me.

That, and the thought that Tobias will not be able to get through this kind of pain.

I open my eyes and she is frozen.

Her lips are still blue, but she isn't bleeding out anymore, or shaking.

She's stagnant.

If I could keep her this way until we were able to get to a hospital, she just might survive it.

"You did it…" Uriah says in a quiet voice.

My head feels heavy and light all at the same time.

I sway just a little but Tobias arms are there to catch me.

"Are you alright?" He asks

I nod. "Yeah…that just… sort of takes a lot out of me I think."

Tobias nods, "Okay…Why don't you rest for a while?"

I stare up at him and then I shake my head slowly.

"Because we don't have time to rest for awhile. I have no idea how long Cara will be frozen and every second we wait, we're that much closer to her dying."

Tobias closes his eyes for a moment like my words really hit home and then he slowly opens his mouth to speak.

"I know that…." He's quiet for a moment, "But I think I have a plan."

I raise my eyebrows. "Well, would you like to share with the rest of the class?"

He looks down at the floor and then back up at me. "Yes, but you aren't going to like it."

At this point, a plan is a plan whether I like it or not, I shrug and then cross my arms waiting.

Tobias looks like he'd rather be anywhere else in the world right now than be in this room with me, telling me his plan right now.

"I have to kill him, Tris."

The air in the room changes shifts into a darker, harder to breathe in aura.

"Excuse me?" I breathe.

"It's the only way…" he says so quietly, like if he says it in a softer voice that will make it okay.

"No! No, that is not the only way, Tobias! You're playing right into his hands! You're becoming exactly what he wants you to be!"

Tobias is shaking his head, like what I'm saying is wrong and it makes me want to cry.

I grab his face in my hands, forcing him to look me in the eyes.

"Listen to me, I LOVE that Marcus is trying to re-create you. Do you want to know why? Because that means you aren't what he wants. Do you understand? You aren't something Marcus Eaton _wants._ That is a _good_ thing._"_ I touch a hand to his heart.

"You're such a good person, Tobias. You have an amazing heart. Please don't let him turn you into a carbon copy of who he is."

He closes his eyes, "Tris." He whispers. "There is no other option. He's going to keep doing this, over, and over again. He's going to keep ruining our lives unless we stop him. Permanently."

I know that to an extent, he's absolutely right, but I can't lose him to this.

I shake my head, "Tobias, you won't come back from this."

"So be it." He says in a tired, defeated voice.

I barely even think about it, I simply slip the ring he'd given me off of my finger and hold it out to him.

"What does this mean to you?"

"Tris…"

"No, answer me." I say, every emotion under the sun running through me.

"We don't have time for this." He whispers.

I shove the ring into his hand.

"If you do this, we won't be okay. I know it." I am trying so hard not to cry that it's giving me a headache.

His hand closes around the ring for a moment, and then he takes my hand, slipping it back on my finger.

He bites down on his lip. "I made you a promise." He touches my cheek. "I don't take those very lightly." He pauses for a moment.

"If I thought there was another way, you know I'd do it in a heartbeat. I am protecting our future. Please understand that."

I feel like I can't breathe. It isn't fair. He rubs my cheek with the back of his hand for a moment and then he turns to Uriah.

"Uriah, will you stay with Cara?" He asks.

Uriah nods, "Yeah, of course."

"Tris, I need you to come with me. I might need your super power."

I shake my head, "I'm not going to help you kill a man."

He lets out a groan. "He isn't an innocent, Tris!"

"What qualifies as an innocent these days?" I say, slightly hysterical. "Would you just as easily murder Christina, or Matthew? Things aren't black and white anymore!"

He stares at me. "If it came down to your life, or mine? Yes. I would."

I shake my head. "This is wrong!"

"What exactly is your moral compass Tris, because you didn't seem to have a problem when I blew Eric's head off!"

I am silent then. I don't know what to say, and neither does he.

For a moment we just stand there and stare at each other.

We are both so emotionally charged.

"He isn't just anyone Tobias. He isn't your asshole competitor from dauntless. He's your father."

He flinches at the word.

"What do you want me to do?" He says so quietly I barely hear him.

"Find another way." I say

He shakes his head, "Tris. There isn't one."

I close my eyes. "You don't know what it feels like…"

"What _what_ feels like?"

I take a deep breath. "To feel like your parent's death is your fault. I don't want that for you."

He tilts his head a little and then shakes it. "This is very different."

I nod, chewing on my bottom lip. "Maybe."

"I'm sorry, Tris. This is the way it has to be."

I am silent.

I have lost the battle, he is going to do it with or without my consent.

I try not to show the disappointment in my face.

After a moment, he lets out another sigh, "Please, help me get out of the building."

I raise my eyebrows.

"Why?"

He shrugs. "I have to draw him out. I want to fight him where I have an advantage. If I take the fight outside, I have Shauna and Zeke to help."

I can't refuse him help. If something were to happen to him, I would never forgive myself, I just nod refusing to give him the satisfaction of my verbal consent.

He watches me for a moment and then his eyes drift over to Cara still frozen on the desk. He looks at me again and I can almost feel how torn he is.

He wants to make me happy, but he feels like he needs to do this.

The final showdown with his father.

I want to scream.

It's too dangerous.

If he manages to kill him, what does that mean for him morally?

And what if he loses? What then? I can't lose him.

He is stronger than me, he could survive without me.

I don't think I can survive without him.

He holds a hand out towards me.

He wants to do this with me, as a team, but I don't know if I can.

I take his hand anyway, because I believe in him and that's all I can do right now.


	22. Chapter 22

**Tobias/Four**

I move through the hallways with Tris by my side and it feels like I'm moving through a haze.

My brain is incredibly foggy, but that doesn't stop it from re-playing my bullet connecting with Cara's spine over and over again. My heart has been squeezing painfully on and off ever since Cara asked me if she was going to die.

Hearing those words come out of her mouth was one of the hardest things I've ever had to experience.

She was so scared, and unsure and it was my fault.

All my fault.

_I shot Cara._

The thought is still unbelievable to me.

The fact that it is all my fault is even _more _unbelievable, but I am covered in her blood to prove it.

My brain doesn't seem to remember how to think of anything else, it's just a constant chain of I shot Cara.

I _shot_ her and she might die.

Tris hasn't said a word to me since we left Uriah and Cara in the tiny office.

She has a quiet sort of determination moving through her veins and I know that it's necessary for her to get through this, and I know that's why she's quiet right now, but I can't help but think it has something to do with the fact that I shot Cara.

I _shot_ Cara.

She probably hates me. Who wouldn't?

And Tris? Tris already gives me the same look as Evelyn, the one that says I'm reckless just like my father and it makes me want to throw-up.

The thought runs through me like ice cold water.

Tris turns to look at me for a moment and then she shakes her head.

"Stop it."

"Stop what?" My voice is barely a whisper.

"I know what you're doing. I can see it." She says in a frustrated voice.

I stare at her confused.

"You're blaming yourself and throwing a pity party. We don't have time for it." She says, tilting her head at me.

I just stare at her because I don't know what to stay.

"Stop. You can't face off against your father like that."

I lift my shoulders a bit.

"I don't think I can face off with him regardless."

She stares at me for a moment, and I can see the confusion in her face.

I don't blame her.

Moments ago I was adamant that I needed to kill him.

Now I'm not even sure that I could hurt him in the slightest.

She shakes her head.

"Why?" She asks her eyes searching me.

"…I just _shot_ Ca-"

She shakes her head hard, cutting me off before I could even get her name out.

"No. We're not going there. Not right now. That's on hold right now. Do you understand?"

I open my mouth to say something but she cuts me off again.

"We'll deal with your guilt, and Cara and all of it later. Right now, you have a job to do. Okay?"

I'm surprised at her reaction, but nevertheless, I nod a little bit.

"I understand."

She squeezes my hand.

I nod again, I know she's right.

It's amazing that she has the ability to support me, even when she doesn't really believe in what I'm going to do.

Or maybe she thinks that it won't come to that, but she doesn't know what I know.

Marcus Eaton does not give up. Ever.

He faked his own wife's death and then exiled her just to stay on top. There is no way he is going to let the son he never wanted, respected, or cared about get in his way.

That's why I have to stop him.

It's my only chance at a normal life.

At marrying Tris, at maybe being a father one day.

I pause at that thought because I'd never really had it before.

Being a father had always felt wrong, like I wasn't meant for it.

It doesn't feel that way with Tris, with Tris, it feels possible. Reachable. It's not so scary. The thought doesn't turn my stomach like it did when Cara used to mention it, but I still have the looming figure of my own father in my head.

The person that I don't want to be.

The kind of father I _can't_ be.

Tris holds my hand as we cross the hallway to the elevator and I relish the fact that I feel safe and warm just because she is simply holding my hand.

"What are you thinking about?" She asks.

"He's not going to let us leave without a fight. Like I said, we have to draw him out. So let's make him think we're leaving. Draw him out of the building. Then we can use our advantage."

We step inside the elevator and as the elevator starts descending my stomach starts doing flip-flops.

We reach the bottom floor after what feels like an eternity and we exit the same way we came in, through the concrete cells that were Uriah and Cara's prison.

It's almost too easy.

The masked men are protecting the information and data in the labs, or they are protecting Marcus. Either way, they aren't worried about us at the moment.

We don't reach any problems on our way out.

I worry vaguely about Uriah and Cara, but they are hidden in one room of several, and there was nothing Marcus could possibly want with them now.

Tris and I are the golden prize.

When we hit the outdoors and the sunlight hits my face, I feel a moment of relief.

We are out.

Finally.

We made it out.

But the relief is short-lived as I remember that Cara is still inside with Uriah fighting for her life and we are still in serious danger.

However, all is quiet out here, almost eerily so, but I know it won't stay that way for long.

It can't.

We are still inside the gate and it is bristling with life again.

Caleb must have lost the signal from his computer.

"So, what now?" Tris asks, her head turning to look up at the massive building we'd just escaped from.

I clutch my gun a little tighter.

Something doesn't feel right.

"Stay close to me, okay?"

She turns to look at me.

"Are you worried?"

I nod a little,

"Yeah, this doesn't feel right. It was too easy to get out."

Tris doesn't say anything, just wipes her hands on her jeans.

There is movement on the other side of the gate and I grab Tris by the arm and pull her against the wall with me, head turned to watch the movement.

"Four?"

I recognize the voice instantly as Zeke's, I peek around the wall and Tris follows me.

"Zeke, are you guys alright?"

"Well, we've been waiting, but we got nothing. We figured we'd at least get the fall-out from whatever happened inside but…" Zeke pauses and takes in my blood-stained appearance.

"…Looks like all the action stayed inside…"

I glance down at my appearance; I am still covered in blood.

I let out a small sigh.

"Is everyone alright?" Zeke asks.

"We're hoping everyone will be. I just need to take care of some things first."

"Did you find Cara?" He asks looking between the two of us.

Tris and I exchange a glance. There is so much to explain but now's not the time.

"You guys got absolutely nothing out here?" I say, ignoring his question.

Zeke shakes his head.

"No, nothing. I sent Shauna back to Caleb to see if he was still alright, because, I don't know, it sort of felt a little like a trap… but she isn't back yet…"

Tris looks up at me and I can see the worry in her eyes.

"I'm sure Caleb is fine…" I mumble. "Marcus isn't going to make the effort to hurt people who aren't important to his cause."

Tris shakes her head. "But…that's exactly what he's doing. Killing GD's…they're expensible to him…what if.."

I start to open my mouth to say something but something large and heavy collides with me before I can get a word out.

I am pressed to the ground, breathing in grass and dirt and then a fist collides with my face.

My head explodes and I am seeing white hot-spots in my vision.

What feels like a gun collides with my temple and my head explodes again.

I press my palms upward trying to push whoever is on top of me away; I can't see anything but the burst of stars that explode from the impact of the punch.

When my vision starts to clear I can start to see that it is another of the masked men attacking me.

The gate slides open and the masked man pushes me out.

I am panicking.

I can't see or hear Tris or Zeke and I'm suddenly re-thinking my whole plan.

"Tris!?" I scream, my vision still blurry but then a fist collides with my mouth.  
Where is all my stupid dauntless training now? Why do I feel so useless? How am I going to over-take my father if I can't even handle one of his stupid guards?

I see a fist rise to hit me again, but this time I manage to block it.

Thank god.

The masked man seems taken aback by it and I use that as an advantage. I punch him once, twice, and then I pull my gun from my side to point it right at his stupid mask.

"What exactly is with the masks?" I ask, annoyance covering my tone. He doesn't bother to answer; instead he tackles me to the ground.

I fire the gun, but the bullet doesn't touch him.

I hadn't meant it to.

What it does do is make him jump. I scared him and that was the point.

"Yeah, not afraid to fire." I say, my voice dropping to a low octave.

I glance to the right, and then to left.

Tris and Zeke are nowhere to be found.

I understand now.

This scuffle wasn't meant to hurt me, or kill me it was to distract me from wherever they were planning on taking Tris and Zeke.

Clever.

I roll over just a little so I am directly next to the man; gun still pointed at his face and then I push the mask off.

"_Matthew?"_

He looks at me and his face is covered in rage, I've never seen him look like that and I'm almost too stunned to defend myself when he goes in for another punch.

His fist collides with my chin.

I push Matthew back again, rolling over so that I am pinning him down.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

"This is all YOUR fault!" He screams. He is struggling against me but I am too strong for him.

"What are you TALKING about?"

"Christina!"

I blink, I hadn't even thought about Christina in hours.

"What about her?"

"Don't act dumb, she's gone! You did something, I know you did, you'd do anything to keep Tris safe. I'm not stupid."

I blink.

I have zero clue what he is talking about, but I'm one hundred percent certain that Marcus has fed him some lie about me hurting Christina.

It's just the kind of thing he would do.

"Oh, really? Did your buddy Marcus tell you that? I hate to break it to you Matthew, but he's not that great at telling the truth."

He pushes up against me and he manages to shove his elbow into my stomach.

I push him back down hard, squeezing his arms.

"Are you crazy? I haven't even _seen_ Christina today!"

He struggles against me again.

"My father is a corrupt bastard, so if he told you she was going to be safe, and now she isn't, he lied. Welcome to Marcus Eaton's world, Matthew."

I pull up wiping blood from the corner of my mouth. Matthew had gotten in a few too many good punches.

Matthew blinks up at me. "You never saw her?"

I shake my head. "Not once. I came here for Cara. That's all."

There's a rustling noise from behind us and before I turn around I know exactly who it is. There is a clapping noise next and I release Matthew in favor of standing and facing the person clapping.

My father.

. My plan worked out, I drew him out. The only problem was that he is smarter than me, so he took away my advantages before I even had the chance to use them.

Marcus approaches us and he is clapping slowly, goading me.

"I have to give it to you Tobias, you've done very well so far."

I feel bile rise in my throat.

"I don't need your approval. Where is Tris?" I say through my teeth.

Marcus shrugs. "Does it matter? You chose Cara, remember?"

"I didn't choose anybody, I was faking you out, you son of a bitch."

His eyes widen and he nods. "Wow, even more impressive, Tobias. Really."

I roll my eyes. "Can we just get on with it? Whatever you're planning to do to me. Let's just do it."

Marcus laughs, "Mmm. That would be letting you out of your misery, and I'm not quite ready. Not yet."

"Why? Because your sick genetics project isn't ready yet?"

He raises his eyebrows at me.

"You found my little experiment? Tobias, all I've ever wanted was to make you better, and now I have that opportunity."

I bite down hard on my lip, drawing blood.

"Did it ever occur to you," I say through my teeth, "…that I am perfectly fine the way that I am?"

Marcus shakes his head.  
"No. You are weak. You were always weak. You're useless to me weak."

I see Matthew out of the corner of my eye raise a gun.

"Call him off. This is between you and me."

Marcus glances at Matthew. He simply waves a hand and Matthew leaves the scene without a single question.

A low guttural laugh leaves me. "Wow. How the hell did you train him so well? A flick of the hand and he's gone? You must _love_ this power trip."

He shrugs. "Matthew just understands what you never could."

"..And what's that?"

"That I am the law, and the law can't be mocked."

I shake my head, running a hand over my face. He is completely unbelievable.

"So, what did you do with Christina?" I question.

He shrugged. "She was becoming a liability so I took care of it."

My stomach drops. "What does that mean?"

"You really can't decide between the women in your life can you?" He holds up his hands, palms up.

"Cara or Tris?" He lifts one hand and then the other mimicking scales.

"… Then there's your Evelyn mother drama and now you're worried about Christina…." He shakes his head, sighing "Your weakness is women, Tobias."

I snort.

"Yeah, and we all know how well _you_ handled the women in _your_ life."

He grins, "I got rid of weaknesses."

"Really?" I press. "Because I think I can find one or two, dad."

"I promise you, you don't want to kill me." He says and I don't like the tone his voice takes.

I pull my gun out and I fire. It hits him square in the shoulder.

"I beg to differ." I breathe.

For some reason, I couldn't aim to kill right now. Not yet. I had to know what he was talking about first, but I wanted him to know that I wasn't afraid to shoot.

He stumbles back but it's like it barely affects him, he rushes at me the bullet wound only just starting to gush blood.

He reaches for me but I block him, pushing him up against the concrete wall of the building.

He reaches out again and manages to wraps his hands around my neck, squeezing.

I can see in his eyes how much he wants to watch the light leave my eyes but I can't let that happen.

I reach up and hit his chin with the butt of my gun.

He lets go and then I punch him straight in the face.

If I am being honest, this is liberating, being able to_ actually_ hit him back.

This is something that twelve year old Tobias had longed for. Something that I had never really _stopped_ longing for.

I can beat him.

I know it.

I'm younger.

I'm stronger.

I'm dauntless.

He lunges at me, but I go for the throat, slamming him against the wall of the building.

"I am not you!" I scream as I watch him gasp for breath, I don't know why but I feel the need to say it. Maybe only half to convince Marcus, and half to convince myself.

I am not Marcus Eaton. I'm not.

I release him and he holds the wall gasping for breath.

He laughs, but the raspy sound of his voice is satisfying to me.

"Tobias," He says shaking his head. "You are nothing, but a product of me. I made you everything that you are and until you accept that, you'll never reach your full potential."

His words seep into me and they make me feel wrong…chemically.

I can't be anything like him. I just can't.

I point my gun directly at his head.

"Are you going to kill me? Really?" He laughs again.

"I don't think it's very funny. If you have any last words you better say'em now you sick son of a bitch."

He throws his head back his laughter turning into shrieks.

"You think you've won? Do you feel good about yourself little Tobias? You've finally beaten daddy?" He laughs again.

"Go on. Do it. Show me how much of a man you are. There will be others, Tobias. You can't stop this. It is the way the world is meant to be. If you don't think I have a back-up plan you're out of your mind."

I pause then. Back-up plan. I don't like the sound of that.

"It will always be this way! This is what the original experiment was about!" Marcus is screaming now, he's almost hysterical.

This has to end.

"Not if I can help it." My finger presses against the trigger, but a body collides with me and the gun skids out of my hand before I can fully press the trigger.

I twist around to see who the hell is on top of me and find myself looking up at Tris.

"What the hell?" I croak out.

She holds me down to the ground.  
"You can't kill him." She breathes.

I stare at her.

This is quite a time to start convincing me not to kill him.

I understand her reasoning, but I am half a moment away from pulling the trigger.

"Where did you come from?"

She grins a little and starts to open her mouth but Marcus makes a move towards us.

She holds up her hand towards him, palm out and he pauses in mid-motion.

I continue to be amazed by her ever-evolving power.

"Some of the masked men dragged me back inside, tried to put me in one of the cells and I…I don't know…I sort of…broke them."

"You broke the cells?"

She nods. "I don't know how, but it's all metal and dust and stone crumbling in there right now."

I look from her, to suspended Marcus.

"Okay…" I say softly.

"So then Zeke and I went to check on Uriah and Cara, but then Matthew came in and he started going off about how we did something to Christina and I realized we hadn't ever seen Christina so Marcus or David must've done something with her, right? So, I went back into the labs, and there she was in one of the tanks—"  
"What?" I say in disbelief.

"That's what they promised her, Tobias." She nods.

"…They promised to make her genetically pure. _That's _why she's been doing all of this, she wants to be a part of the new world. She didn't know any better, she thought she was doing the right thing."

I close my eyes for a moment, thinking about her words.

Christina wanted to be genetically pure.

She had ruined all our lives because she wanted to be genetically pure.

It sounds so selfish, but Tris sounds like she's already forgiven her.

I open my eyes to look at her.

"I know. It's a lot…but there's more. I broke the glass of the tank and got her out. She seems alright. A little spacey… I don't think she remembers anything. I don't know what they were doing, but I'm pretty sure it _wasn't _changing her into genetically pure. I don't think it's possible, or Marcus would've tried it with you already rather than create a whole new you."

Her hand is still up holding Marcus there in suspension.  
I shake my head, "So what about Matthew?"

Tris shrugs, "He loves her. He'd follow her to the ends of the earth, wrong or

right, it wouldn't matter."

That, I can sort of understand because I would've followed Tris into hell fire.

"Where's Zeke?"

Tris sighs.

"They tried shoving him in a cell too, but I got him out. I sent him up to Uriah and Cara. Well, I didn't really send him so much as he took off running." A small smile over takes her face. "The word Uriah barely slipped out of my mouth before he took off running. He took Christina with him; he should be getting them all out of the building now."

"Tris."

"Yeah?"

"I need you to unfreeze him."

She looks back at Marcus, and then at me. "Why?"

"I have to finish what I started."

She nods. "But, that's what I need to tell you about. Why you _can't_ finish what you started. The information Uriah printed off from the lab computers? There's something you should know."

I stare at her, I don't know if I can take any more surprises.

"Marcus and I…" She breathes, "We're…connected."

I blink.

I don't understand.

"You can't kill him. If he dies, so do I."

My world stops for a whole minute and a half.

"…What?"

She nods, "Some of the research…it was about how they brought me back and…Marcus used me as a failsafe."

It makes sense.

Marcus knew if I ever got Tris back losing her again would never be another option. So he made himself a part of her, so that I couldn't kill him, or if I did I wouldn't have Tris anymore.

"He's bluffing…"

She raises an eyebrow at me. "Do you really want to take that risk?"

She's right. Damn it.

That's what he'd been rambling on about.

Of course he did this.

The bastard.

"Unfreeze him." My voice is dark, deadly.

Tris doesn't even question me; she just drops her hand, and rolls off of me.

Marcus comes running at me, and before I can make a move he is on top of me, squeezing my throat. He shoves his elbow into my chin and a stream of blood starts to flow inside my mouth. I spit some in his face and it makes him back away.

I take his momentary lapse of motion as an opportunity.

I hit him with the butt of my gun and he lets out a groan.

I hit him with it again and he is splayed on the grass.

I know I could stop now, I've successfully incapacitated him.

I should stop, but I can't.

I hit him over and over again, until he becomes completely motionless.

After a few seconds, he is shaking on the grass and I take the opportunity to stand over him.

I can't kill him; there is no way that I am risking that. I can't, but knocking him unconscious could feel just as good.

"Don't worry, dad. This is for your own good." I mumble and then I hit his temple with the butt of my gun and he goes out like a light.


	23. Chapter 23

**Cara**

I am in Four's truck, but I don't think Four is here, which is strange.

I can't breathe.

Everything hurts.

I gasp for air, the edges of my vision are just blurred black smudges and I don't like that I'm hardly able to see.

Breathing is a feat too hard to accomplish but I know that if I don't start, I'm going to die and I'm not really ready to let that happen.

I suck in a slow barely there breath.

Ow.

I can feel the bullet in my back but not because it is painful, simply because it's there, corroding its way through me.

I feel it. I feel all of it.

I manage to let out another loud shaky breath.

It feels good to get some oxygen.

Caleb Prior's face swims in front of my vision.

"Hey..I…I think she's unfrozen."

I close my eyes because the black smudges at the edge of my vision are starting to become center.

"We have to keep her awake, Caleb. Talk to her!"

It sounds like Tris' voice, but I'm not sure and I'm too tired to open my eyes and check.

Caleb mumbles something that sounds like 'Drive faster.'

"Hey, what's your favorite color?"

I open my eyes to look at the source of the voice.

It's Caleb.

I never really noticed before but he has a nice face, it's very symmetrical and smooth. It's easy on the eyes which was a necessary thing at the moment.

I don't know why he is asking me about colors right now, but I indulge him.

"…Blue." I gasp.

He smiles, and it's like his whole face lights up.

"Oh, good. So Erudite _was_ the perfect faction for you."

I remember seeing Caleb around Erudite when he was a transfer. I barely spoke to him but I was aware of his presence.

An abnegation transfer was hard to come by back then.

I try to focus on his voice and his face but I am so tired, and my eyelids are fluttering shut on the own accord.

"Cara, what's your favorite thing to do for fun?"

I open my eyes again. He is persistent. I can't feel my lips.

"…Read…"

"Yeah? I like to read too. What's your favorite book?"

I close my eyes, but I feel a warm hand touch my cheek.

"Cara. Focus. Stay awake for me, Okay?"

His voice sounds so genuine and sweet, but I don't think I can stay awake for another minute. It feels impossible.

"Can you talk to me about your favorite book?"

I open my eyes for the third time, squinting just a little to focus on him.

"…I… can't pick a favorite." I say shakily.

Caleb laughs, "Yeah, me either."

"Caleb?"

"Yeah?"  
"I have to go to sleep now…" I whisper.

"No, no, no, Cara, please stay awake just a moment longer, please. Please Cara."

I look up at him, and smile a little.

He doesn't look all that much like Tris. I don't know why Four is always saying that.

"You have a nice face, Caleb."

Then everything goes black.

**Tris**

The image of Tobias beating his father into unconsciousness will never leave my memory.

It is imprinted on my brain like words.

I will never forget the kind of concentrated rage that had flowed through him.

It was different from that day in the amity compound when he had tried to take power back from his father to prove to the dauntless he could be a leader.

This was…primal.

I was certain that Tobias would've beaten him to death if it wasn't for what I'd told him about me being the failsafe.

As it was, even when Marcus was knocked out Tobias had continued to hit him with his gun and fists until finally, I pulled him off.

Zeke and Uriah came out of the building moments later, Christina following behind them looking confused and Cara in Uriah's arms.

She was still frozen at the time and Tobias didn't even look at her.

His eyes were still focused on Marcus, lying on the grass unconscious like he was longing to him more.

Caleb and Shauna met us there only moments after and Tobias started commanding the scene.

Leadership fell on his shoulders so easily and quickly that no one even questioned him.

He, Shauna, Zeke, Uriah and Christina were going to stay there and figure out what to do with Marcus, then Tobias was going to call Johanna and figure things out from there.

He assigned Caleb and I the job of getting Cara to a hospital.

I drove so that Caleb could sit with Cara in the backseat. I didn't do well with comfort. I didn't do well with driving either really, but I was better at that than comforting someone who is dying.

So here we are, sitting in hard hospital plastic chairs waiting for news on Cara.

Cara's freeze had worn off when we were halfway to the hospital and it was like the wound picked up right where it had left off.

Cara was dying.

And then she went unconscious and I have no idea what the doctor is going to say to us.

If she dies, I don't know how I will tell Tobias.

Caleb had managed to keep her awake for a little while but once we got to the hospital she was unconscious and I couldn't tell if she was breathing or not.

I glance at Caleb, he'd been holding Cara in his lap on the ride over so he is almost as blood stained as Tobias.

"Are you alright?" I ask him tilting my head in his direction.

He doesn't move or speak for a moment and then slowly his shoulders rise in a shrug.

"I don't really know…I just…I'm tired of all the deaths, you know?"

I nod, "I know. It's going to get better now. It has to."

He nods a little and we watch as a doctor approaches us.

My stomach is in knots, I don't know how to deal with this kind of stuff. I wish I had stayed back with Tobias. I am better in that sort of crisis.

The doctor reaches us and I stand uncertainly. Caleb looks up at me from the chair.

"You two are the ones that brought in Cara, correct?" The doctor asks, looking between the two of us.

I nod slowly. "Yes."

The doctor smiles a little at me and for some reason it comforts me. I realize that he has to do this kind of things several times a day and he knows how to comfort scared or grieving family members. My stomach squeezes painfully.

"Well, there's good news and bad news."

I nod, because I don't think speech is possible right now.

"…We've stabilized her. We were able to extract the bullet and clean out the wound."

That sounds like good news. I am waiting for the bad news to drop.

"… At the moment, she's in a medically-induced coma to help her body on its way too healing. She's having trouble breathing on her own so we have an oxygen machine working, hopefully when she wakes up her body will have adjusted enough to jump-start her lungs."

My heart drops. Coma. That means there is a possibility she wasn't going to come out of that, doctor-induced or not.

"She's also paralyzed from the waist down. The good news? It isn't exactly permanent. She might be able to regain some leg strength through physical therapy but it's going to take a lot of work. And all this is assuming that things heal okay while she's in the coma."

"Okay." I breathe, the doctor touches my shoulder. "Have hope. It's not the end."

Caleb stands next to me.

"Can we see her?"

I turn a little to look at him and the doctor nods.

"Of course."

Caleb takes my hand and we walk the length of the hall together to Cara's room.

**Tobias/Four**

"What are you going to do with him?" Zeke asks his eyes staring down at my unconscious father.

"We should lock him up." Uriah insists. "If we take their leader they'll have to call everything off."

Shauna shakes her head, "But they still have David, they could pick up where they left off."

Their voices are too much for me to handle right now all at once. I shake my head.

"We just have to wait for Johanna. She'll know what to do." I say quietly.

Zeke shakes his head. "Four…this is _your_ battle. Whatever you want to do, we'll follow _you._"

His words wash over me and I realize that I have the leadership role whether I want it or not.

"Where should we take him?" Uriah presses. I press my hand to my temple, my brain is throbbing and I feel like I'm going to throw up, so much has happened today. I can't be relied on to make rational decisions.

I stare up at the building and I think about the labs, and the cells and all the horrible things they were probably doing in there. I think of the re-creations and all the research. I think of the masked men and I think of David.

I want to get rid of it.

All of it.

"I want to blow it up." I say softly.

"What?" Shauna questions.

I nod as if confirming my own words.

"I want to blow it up." I know it's crazy, but it also seems like the only logical thing to do with this place.

Zeke raises his eyebrows at me but then he nods.

"Alright. What are we going to use?"

He trusts me so completely and I am so grateful for him at the moment, I can't even explain it.

Christina trips over herself to get to me.

"You can't blow it up! Matthew's in there!"

I stare at her wide-eyes and her scared appearance. I know she only did everything she did because of false promises and wrong beliefs but I'm having trouble feeling any sympathy for her. I have no choice though; Tris would never forgive me if I blew it up knowing Matthew was inside. I am so disgusted by Christina that I don't even want to give her the satisfaction of responding to her directly.

"Zeke, can you find Matthew?"

He nods. "Yeah. I think so, anyway."

I know I should give him my handgun. It would be easier to take in there than a rifle but it feels like an extension of my hand right now.

I can't let it go.

Zeke slings the rifle over his shoulder and takes off for the building.

I slide to the ground on my knees and then fall to a seated position.

Shauna kneels down next to me. "Hey, you okay?"

I look up at her and nod a little. "Yeah…I just…I want to get it all over with."

She nods. "Yeah…"

It is almost ten minutes later when Zeke comes jogging out of the building with Matthew.

I stand up then, just staring at the building. I wish I had Tris's super power right about now.

_Tris. _

My heart expands at just the thought of her name.

Uriah takes a little step forward.

"Think we could use this?" He holds his palm out towards me and in it is a little black ball.

I look at it and then up at him. "What is that?"

Uriah shrugs, "I got it inside when I was waiting with Cara…I did a little exploring. That office was full of weapons. I took this one just in case. I think it's a detonator." I take the tiny round object in my hand just as Matthew and Zeke approach us.

I run a few paces forward and then I throw the detonator. I lose sight of it as it sails across the field to the building.

Nothing happens for a moment and then all at once the building lights up in flames.

I am thrown back a few paces and I watch the building crumble from the ground.

Zeke comes up to me and drags my back from the explosion.

The sound of truck comes rumbling by and I turn to see Johanna pulling up to us in her truck.

She parks right on the grass and jumps out of the car.

She stares up at the flames her head.

"I told you not to do anything until I got here…" She says quietly.

I shrug.

"…Sorry…"

She looks at me, takes in my disheveled appearance and then instead of reprimanding me, she hugs me.

I can't hold it in anymore.

I am bawling.

I cry like I've wanted to for months.

I cry over Tris's death, I cry over the fact that she is back now, I cry over my relationship with Cara, I cry because I hurt her, I cry because I shot her, I cry because I just beat the snot out of my father, I cry because of the events of today. All the things I've been holding back for weeks, it all comes out now in great, heaving sobs and I wish Tris was here more than anything.

Johanna holds me and I'm grateful for it because I think she's the only person who could do this for me, she is like a mother to me after all.

Maybe Marcus is right. Maybe women _are_ my weakness.


	24. Chapter 24

**Tris**

Cara is all cleaned up when we finally see her.

Her cuts have been tended to, her hair has been brushed, and she looks like she is going to wake up at any moment.

The only problem is we both know that she isn't.

Caleb takes a seat next to the hospital bed and then he reaches out a hand and touches the top of Cara's hand lightly before taking it into his own.

I watch them for a moment, wondering when Caleb became so sensitive. As far as I knew, Caleb and Cara barely knew each other, but I remind myself that there is a six year gap between everything I know and actual reality.

"Were you close?" I ask curiously.

Caleb looks up at me and then shakes his head.

"No, we didn't really talk but…" He shrugs, "I knew her in Erudite or I guess I knew of her. She always seemed really sweet. I always thought Four didn't really give her enough credit…you know…" He pauses for a moment, "Because he was still so in love with you."

I twist the engagement ring around my finger; it is becoming a habit of mine when I am at a loss for words or feeling out of place.

Speaking of Four…

"…I should go check on him." I say quietly.

Caleb nods, "I figured you'd want to do that soon. It's okay, I can stay here."

"Are you sure?"

He nods. "Yeah, just in case she wakes up. Someone should be here."

I nod, he's right. Someone should. I wouldn't want to wake up alone.

"I'll see you later." I mumble before moving through the door way and down the hall.

Once I'm in the truck, I feel like I can actually breathe again. I press my forehead against the steering wheel trying to gather all my thoughts. There are so many of them buzzing around that I'm not really sure they will ever settle.

I hate hospitals.

The smell, and the doctors, the sadness…

It would be too soon if I never had to enter one again.

I pull Caleb's cell phone from my pocket and dial the number that Tobias had made me memorize.  
He picks up on the third ring.

"Tris."

He says my name like it's the only thing in the world he's sure of; it sends a little shiver through me.

I smile at the fact that he knows it's me, regardless of Caleb's phone number appearing on the screen.

"Hi. What's going on? Are you alright?"

I feel breathless.

"I'm alright." I can hear his steady breathing, so I believe him.

"Are you alright?" he asks

I nod, and then I realize that he can't see me.

"Yeah…yeah I'm good."

We are both quiet for a moment and the silence feels heavy and daunting, unspoken words and feelings filling the space and distance between us.

"…I blew it up." He says it so abruptly that I almost don't catch it, so quietly that I'm not sure I understand him at first.

"Blew…._what_ up?"

"The building. Marcus' headquarters…it's gone. I blew it up."

I am speechless.

I don't know what to say.

What can I say?

That definitely hadn't been the smartest idea….

Who had been in there?

I can feel the panic start to rise in my chest, but I know Tobias.

I know in the moment he wasn't thinking about other people's lives, or what this meant for the future.

He had only been thinking about the utter turmoil inside of himself.

I can't blame him for that.

I know Tobias is delicate right now, if that's even the right word, and I don't want to confront him with anything that will make it worse. Not right now.

I swallow hard before speaking.

"Is…is everyone alright?"

"I don't know. I mean, David was probably in there, and the masked guards but…" He pauses for a moment. "We're all okay."

My hand is squeezing the phone so hard that it hurts.

"What did you do with Marcus?"

"We took him to the politics building. There's a safe room there that locks from the outside only. He's in there. I figure Johanna can handle it."

I blow out a little breath.

"Where are you?"

"Evelyn's." He says quietly.

"Who are you with?"

"Shauna, Zeke and Uriah. Christina and Matthew are with Johanna."

I pause for just a moment. "Why?"

"Because Johanna had questions for them…and because I didn't want them here."

I know he's angry at them, and I understand because I felt the same way only hours ago, but it feels different now.

Now that I knew the truth and the reason behind Christina's antics forgiveness is almost easy.

Christina had been my best friend six years ago.

That's how I know her.

That's how I want to know her again.

She made mistakes, but we all do.

If I've learned anything it's that life is too short to hold grudges.

After all, she had helped in bringing me back and though it had been for the wrong reasons, it doesn't change the fact that I'm here.

I'm still thankful for that.

I let out a small sigh, but I don't press the subject of Christina with him right now.

I don't trust his emotional state.

"Okay…I'll meet you there. I'm just leaving the hospital."

There is no response.

"Tobias?"

"Yes?"

I don't know how to approach this, so I tread lightly.

"Do you…" I pause for a moment. "Do you…want to know how Cara is?"

Silence fills the phone.

"She's alive, Tobias."

I can hear him breathing on the other end but there is still no response.

"She's in a medically induced coma but they think-"

"I'll see you when you get here."

His words are so abrupt that they shock me a little. The phone clicks and I realize He hung up before I could say anything else.

I keep the phone to my ear for a moment, and then I slowly hang up.

**Tobias/Four**

The gun hasn't left my hand since we got back.

I sit on Evelyn's couch in an abnegation grey t-shirt and erudite blue jeans.

Thinking about colors in factions is calming to me right now, which is something I need more than anything.

My insides feel jumbled and wrong.

I should feel happy.

I beat the bad guy.

I got the girl.

Now I can go live my happily ever after.

Except that isn't how things work in the real world.

In my world.

I lift the gun and try to aim it, just to see if I can.

My hand is so shaky that the bullet would only reach the target in the event of a miracle.

What is wrong with me?

"Tobias?"

I practically jump out of my skin when Evelyn enters the room.

I close my eyes and lower the gun, just trying to catch my breath for a moment.

She walks over to the couch and sits down next to me.

I feel her hand cover mine, her fingers brushing the gun. She carefully untangles my fingers and places the gun on the coffee table in front of us.

Panic starts to settle over me, but she shakes her head, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Sweetheart." She says softly. "It's okay. You don't need it here."

I turn a little to look at her.

I know she's right, but I feel vulnerable now.

I bite down on my lip and nod, looking at the gun on the table.

She touches my face and I am forced to look at her.

"I'm so sorry, Tobias. I know that all this must've been…awful for you…" She runs a hand along my back.

"But you have to let it go and move on. Don't let him ruin everything that you have to look forward to now."

"Hello?"

I'd recognize that voice anywhere as Tris'.

Evelyn glances up in the direction of the door.

"In here!" I call out and Tris enters the living room a moment later.

"Hey…Hi…where is everyone?" She asks, glancing around a little bit.

I shrug.

"Zeke and Uriah wanted some time alone together. Shauna left when they did."

She nods a little and then sits down on the other side of me.

Evelyn looks between the two of us and then she quietly leaves the room. I wonder if she'll ever be comfortable with Tris.

It's very doubtful.

Tris blows out a loud breath and then takes my hand. I turn to look at her my lips already shaking, trying to keep the tears at bay.

"Hi…" She says quietly.

I shake my head a little and then press my forehead against her shoulder, breathing deeply.

She wraps her arms around me, holding me.

God, I love her for making me feel this safe with such a simple gesture.

"Is she…" I start to ask about Cara, but I can't.

The words get caught in my throat.

I am going to have to spend the rest of my life making it up to Cara, whatever the damage is.

Tris doesn't need me to finish. She answers my question anyway.

"She's stable. Healing. They think she's going to wake up." She pauses for a moment. "It all looks good…it's just…" she pauses and I'm not sure I want to hear the rest.

"…she's going to be paralyzed….from the waist down…the doctor said that it might not be permanent though with physical therapy and…and everything."

I think of Cara, and how smart she is and how she is still deciding what she wants to do with the rest of her life. I think of how she buries herself in medical journals, and science books for hours just to learn something new because that is what truly makes her happy. I think of how she wants a family and how she wants to explore the world and write about it.

I think about how those things seem impossible for her to do now. I think about how it is my fault and my bullet that has ruined her life.

"…I should've listened when Christina said to leave Cara alone…"

"What are you talking about?"

I let out a sigh. "Back when I first started dating Cara…Christina was really against it. She said a lot of things about how I was being disloyal to you…" I lift my eyes to hers for a moment. "…and how I wasn't being fair to Cara…and that she was just going to get hurt. I know she didn't mean it in this particular way but…I guess I sort of did both."

"Hey…you couldn't predict this."

I shrug. "No, I guess not."

"No one knew I was coming back…"

She closes her eyes for a moment and I'm having a hard time looking at her.

"You were protecting me. You didn't know the bullet was going to hit Cara."

I nod slowly.

"I know that, but I don't think Cara is going to accept that as an apology."

She lets out a sigh, leaning her had against the back of the couch.

We stay like that for awhile and then she slowly moves over towards me so that were pressed close to each other, thigh to thigh. I turn my head a little to look at her.

She shrugs, and gives me a small half smile.

"Can we just be happy about the fact that we made it out? Is that selfish?"

I stare at her for a moment and then I shake my head, no.

She wraps a hand around my neck and pulls me towards her.

Being this close to her is intoxicating.

I reach a hand over to touch her waist.

She bites down on her lip for a moment.

"Will you kiss me?"

The question takes me off guard.

I will kiss her any day of the week, any time of the day, for however long she wants.

I press my lips to hers and in that moment we are infinite.

Everything feels worth it, everything we've been through up until this very moment has been worth it.

It is worth it to me to lose almost everything that I have, if I still have Tris Prior at the end of it.

I pull away for a moment, holding her hand in mine.

I can feel the silver engagement ring I'd given her press against my palm.

I'd almost forgotten about it.

Almost.

I pull her hand over to me and look down at the ring.

"Hm…We've got to do something about this."

"About what?" she asks curiously, tilting her head.

"About marriage."

She narrows her eyes a bit. "What are you talking about?"

I take a deep breath. "Let's do it. Soon. Like…tomorrow."

She blinks a couple times and then shakes her head.

"Are you crazy? We can't just make that decision, there's planning and I mean…were _really_ young."

"Not…really I mean…you're twenty-four…I'm twenty-six."

She opens her mouth to say something and then closes it.

"What?" I press.

She shakes her head. "I don't know. I…just don't see it that way I guess. I skipped six years remember?"

I take her hand. "Do you want to marry me?"

"Of course I do."

"Then let's take the plunge, before anything else happens, lets' just…secure our future."

She tilts her head and a slow smile creeps onto her lips.

"…Okay…" She breathes, and then I kiss her like my life depends on it.

She pulls away though and I let out a small groan.

"Wait…just…maybe we could wait…Just a few months. I do sort of…you know…want to plan…at least a little bit…" She shrugs.

"Maybe get adjusted to…life…again?"

I nod a little. "Yeah…I guess…tomorrow is kind of soon."

She laughs, "I love you, Tobias Eaton."

"I love you too…" I breathe, and then I kiss her again.

**Marcus **

Tobias had certainly done a number on me, everything hurts.

Apparently, he'd learned a lot in dauntless.

I wasn't used to him having so much fire, so much backbone.

It was unnerving…for awhile, but I could still see it in his eyes.

The fear.

The scared little boy who was too afraid to look me in the eye.

I have been sitting in this room for hours, sitting, because I can't stand.

My arms attached to the wall in chains, standing up would be rather painful.

There is nothing in here but white walls and tile floor. I hadn't seen who put me in here but whoever it was didn't bother to put any food in here with me. My stomach is making grotesque noises.

I hear a small clicking nose and my eyes meet the door. It slowly swings open and all of a sudden I'm wishing it hadn't.

"Ah, my wife." I say as Evelyn walks through the door. She rests her back against the door once it closes.

"Don't call me that. It makes me want to vomit. It'd be in your best interest not to make me do that, I don't think anybody would clean it up and you're going to be in here for a long time."

I laugh, I can't help it. It's amazing to me the amount of confidence a person develops when they think they've won.

"Come to gloat, Evelyn?"

"Why would I do that?"

I laugh again. "Your boy beat the bad guy, finally avenged your abuser and now I'm here all locked up while you get to go play mommy when you were the one who abandoned him in the first place."

She crosses her arms over her chest. "You know that I never wanted to leave him."

"But you did."

She closes her eyes, shaking her head.

"I didn't come here to do this with you."

"Then what did you come here for, Evelyn? Please, enlighten me. I'd offer you something to eat or drink but…" I shake my chains a little. "I'm indisposed."

Her eyes move over the chains and she sighs a little bit.

"It's awful, isn't it? Being a prisoner, I felt the way for years."

I roll my eyes, "So you did come here to gloat."

"Hardly. I'm better than that."

I stare at her for a moment. "Are you?"

"He'll never love you, you know. You really messed that one up."

I can't help it, I laugh yet again. "Really? You think he doesn't love me? Why do you think all this effects him so much? Love is that boy's weakness."

"Do _you_ love _him_? At all? Do you even _know _how to love?"

"Of course I do, I loved _you_ Evelyn, but you threw that all of that away—"

"Love is not what you did to me!"

I pause, taken aback by her scream.

"Love isn't what you did to me either."

She closes her eyes taking a couple steps away from me.

"You're disgusting."

"Yet, here you are." I breathe through my nose.

"Trust me; I wouldn't be here if I thought anyone else could help me. I have a million other things I could be doing with my son."

"Oh? Has he asked you to be at the wedding yet? So sweet."

I contain my laughter this time.

"That's why I'm here."

I hadn't been expecting this, but this is good.

"Ah, The wedding. You don't want it to happen."

She looks down at the ground.

"I don't want any of it to happen. Tris being here ruins everything."

This is new information, information that I hadn't been expecting at all.

"You don't like all of his attention in one place." My lips are itching to move into a smile.

"I don't like that she's a flight risk. Every second he's with her is dangerous. I won't lose him, and if eliminating Tris from the equation makes him safer? I'll do that."

I grin, "Well, lucky for you we might be able to work something out."

She doesn't look at me, just stares at the door.

"Oh, Evelyn, don't be sad, we make such a great team remember?"

"Don't make me hit you."

I nod, "Okay. I need Tris. You want her away from Tobias. We can make this happen easily Evelyn; all you have to do is work with me."

She nods a little. "Okay."

I smile. "Good, the next time you come here, I need you to bring me something."

She lets out a sigh, "What?"

"I understand my son over-reacted and blew up my headquarters. I need you to go back to the grounds. There's a box buried underneath a tree on the southwest corner of the grounds. Dig it up, and then bring me the contents."

"Why? What's in it?"

"Something I need. Just get it to me."

"I thought we were a team, teammates don't keep secrets from each other."

"They do when they don't trust each other."

She rolls her eyes but then nods. "Okay."

She turns towards the door quickly.

"Oh and Evelyn?"

She turns a little to look back at me.

"It'll be a pleasure, doing business with you."

She doesn't say anything else before she exits.


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Alright ladies and gents, we've reached the end. The bad news? It's over. The good news? I'm officially writing a sequel! Thank you guys so much for loving this story enough to inspire me to write a sequel and also for being such loyal wonderful readers. Please look out for the sequel, I should be posting the first chapter within in the week so add me to your author alerts :) or just keep an eye out. The working title for now is, Resurrection: The Final War . Please leave a review letting me know what you think about the ending, theories about the sequel, questions you have, anything! I try to answer the best that I can. **

**Adieu for now. **

**Again, thank you so much!**

**Three Months Later**

**Tris **

"This is ridiculous." I breathe turning around in the mirror.

It was strange, being allowed so much mirror time in the first place, let alone the fact that I am in a dress.

"I don't do dresses! I'm not a dress person." I groan.

Shauna shrugs. "So don't wear one, I don't think Four will mind."

I sigh, turning around to face her. "You'd think that, but he's taking this whole wedding thing extremely traditionally. He wants me to pick a maid of honor and everything."

Shauna wrinkles her nose.

"…Have you talked to Christina about it at all?"

I let out a small breath. We both know that Shauna is taking the place of Christina right now, not that Shauna isn't a good friend. She is. It's just that we both knew Christina was my best friend.

Or was supposed to be anyway.

I shrug. "I talked to her like..two months ago? I don't know. It was weird. I think she thinks I hate her. I don't. I understand why she did what she did. I just wish she'd talk to me."

Shauna nods. "You should call her. I'm sure she'd want to come."

I let out a sigh. "Yeah, maybe I will."

"Is Four okay with Christina coming?"

I shrug. "He doesn't like talking about anything that has to do with Marcus and what happened so I haven't really talked to him about it. Not recently, but the last time we spoke about Christina and Matthew…he made it clear he didn't want to be friends."

Shauna lets out a tiny sigh. "It's all so…"

I nod. "I know."

I hear the bedroom door open before I see Evelyn.

"Oh. Hi."

She is carrying a stack of laundry.

"Oh, hello." Her eyes move to Shauna and me and then she sets the laundry on the dresser.

"Just…fresh towels for you."

"Oh. Thank you, but you don't have to do that I could—"

"No, no Mother of the groom privileges and all that." She looks me over and I remember that I am in the process of trying on dresses for the wedding.

"That's a nice one. Is that what you've decided on?"

"Um…no…but it's in the running." She gives me a little smile.

"Well, good luck." She leaves the room closing the door behind her.

I flop down on the bed next to Shauna.

"It doesn't get any easier being around her."

Shauna nods. "She is a little scary huh?"

"Well yeah, that and she hates me."

"Why do you think that?"

I turn my head a little to look at her. "Um, because every five minutes she tells Tobias he's too young to be getting married and urges him to go see Cara in the hospital."

"How is Cara?" Shauna asks.

I shrug. "She's…I don't know. She's definitely still in a coma. Tobias has only been to see her a couple of times. Caleb says he goes a lot, but there's no change."

Shauna nods.  
"Here, try on this one." She pulls out a plain white dress that goes to the knee with thin white straps wrapping around the neck.

I pull the one I currently have on up and over my head and throw it on the pile of ones we've already decided against.

I pull the simple dress over my head and then tie the straps up by my neck.

"Okay, what do you think?" I push my hair back a little.

Shauna looks me over and the lets out a breath.

"You look amazing. Seriously. I mean, you always do, but…Four is going to jump out of his skin when he sees you in that dress."

"Really?" I mumble turning around in the mirror.

I liked it. It was simple, but cut well so it makes me look more attractive than I think I actually am.

"Okay. This one. I choose this one."

There's a knock on the door and I don't have to ask who it is to know that it's Tobias. He's the only one who actually knocks, not that he really needs to but I am glad today that he did.

"Just one minute!" I slip the dress off, and stuff it in a drawer before throwing on a t-shirt and jeans and opening the door for him.

"Hi." I smile, tilting my head a little bit.

"Hello." He says, already leaning down to kiss me.

He's wearing a dark blue t-shirt and black pants. I pull back a little.

"Where'd you go this morning?"

"For a walk, and then I went to see Johanna, I'm sorry. I should've left you a note."

I shake my head. "No, no that's okay. I had shopping to do with Shauna anyway remember?"

He looks up and spots Shauna sitting on the bed and gives a little wave.

"Hey."

"Hi." She stands up from the bed. "I should get going through, Zeke's making dinner and that could quite possibly be very disastrous."

I smile. "Sure, thank you for helping me today. Tell Uriah and Zeke I say hello."

She nods. "You got it." She touches my shoulder, "Bye Four." She says quietly before leaving the bedroom.

I turn to look at Tobias again, not able to keep the smile at bay.

"What did you see Johanna about?" I ask curiously.

"A job, actually." He says looking uncertain.

My smile fades a little. "A job? You have a job."

He nods, "I know. It's just…after everything that's happened Johanna wants a little more help."

"What, like a super assistant?" I ask, laughter in my voice.

"No…uh…she wants me to be a political leader."

I pause for a moment.

"…but you said…you didn't want to be a political leader."

He nods, "Yeah, I know. I said that, but…I don't know, it's…it's starting to make sense now, you know?"

"No, I don't know. You said you were afraid of power, that it was going to corrupt you that you weren't ready…"

"I know, I know I said that, but that was months ago and after everything…I want to help. I want to show people that it doesn't matter if you're genetically pure or genetically damaged or whatever. I want to do that."

I look up at him and I can see it in his face, his intentions are so genuine.

He touches my cheek.

"Weren't you the one who told me that I was a leader?"

He's right. I did tell him that and I still believe that so why do I feel so uneasy?

"You are a leader. I think it's great."

He presses a kiss to my forehead.

"Thank you…" He whispers.

I wrap my arms around his middle, pressing my cheek into his chest, trying to ignore the squirmy feeling in my stomach.

The bedroom door swings open and Evelyn stands in the doorway, Tobias swings us around but he doesn't let go of me.

"Sorry to interrupt, it's just…It's Caleb." She holds a telephone in her hands.

"He says Cara's awake."

**Tobias/Four**

Four days before the wedding and Cara wakes up. It's like the universe was against me getting married, or being happy, or just having a stress free moment.

I am happy Cara is awake. I am happy that she's going to be okay, but I had probably selfishly hoped she wouldn't wake up until after the wedding. Maybe that was just my cop-out because I knew I had to talk to her, and I didn't know what I was going to say.

The first day Tris went to go see her with Shauna and Zeke.

The second day Caleb called to say she was asking about me.

The day before the wedding Uriah came over and told me if I didn't go see her, he was going to drag me there by my hair.

So here I am.

Pacing, outside of her hospital room.

I don't want to go in there.

I can't.

I can't possibly go in there.

I can't face her.

I can't look at her hooked up to a breathing machine and a heart monitor.

What if she hates me? What if she's lying there sad, and miserable? How am I supposed to handle that?

It takes another ten minutes of convincing myself before I finally take a deep breath and push open the hospital room door.

What I see in front of me is not what I had been imagining.

Cara is sitting up in the hospital bed, back against her pillow, a magazine in her lap, and a jell-o cup in her hands.

She's laughing.

I hadn't heard her laugh like that in months.

Caleb is sitting next to the bed, smiling. He'd probably just said something incredibly funny.

Cara's eyes move to look at the door and she drops her little plastic spoon into the Jell-O cup.

"…Hi, Four." She breathes softly. Her voice sounds unsteady, like she isn't getting enough oxygen. There is an oxygen tube in her nose and IV's hooked into her arms.

I walk a little bit towards the bed, trying to keep my hands from shaking.

"Hi, Cara."

She smiles a little.

"Where've you been? I asked about you a couple days ago. I thought you'd call or…be here. I don't know. I guess I shouldn't have expected that….with…the wedding plans and everything."

She is trying very hard not to show it but I see the little bubble of tears appear underneath her bottom eye-lids.

"I know…I should've come…I just…I didn't know what I'd say to you."

She nods a little looking down at her Jell-O cup.

"I don't really know what to say to you either." She says quietly.

Caleb stands up and touches her hand. "Hey, I should go. I'll come back tomorrow."

"Oh no, please don't go. It's so lonely when you're not here."

He looks down at her and then smiles a little. "Okay…I'll just…go get a coffee then or something, Okay?"

She nods. "Yeah. And maybe some more Jell-O?"

He laughs shaking his head. "Of course."

He moves past me to leave the room, and Cara turns her eyes back to me.

I watch him go, feeling an odd sort of resent me for him. Since when did he and Cara get so close?

"Four…" She takes a breath and I can hear it through the machine.

"I don't blame you for what happened. Okay?"

I nod.

"It's not the end of the world. They have really high hopes for physical therapy. My lungs just need a little extra time to heal because I didn't finish the breathing treatments from the fire when Christina took me out of the hospital."

I don't like hearing this stuff. It feels like too much.

"So, I might have to have a breathing machine, when I'm out of the hospital for awhile. Just for a little while."

She nods. She is so brave and so strong and I am a terrible person.

"Listen," she continues, "I still really care about you, and that's…that's going to take time to…get over. Um…I don't…I don't know how to say this to you but um…I'm really…going to need some space."

I lift my eyes to look at her, and the tears come without me really wanting them to.

"Don't say that. Please."

She turns away from me for a moment.

"I don't want to. My heart is screaming at me that this is wrong thing to do, but that's how I know it's the right thing. Four, I'm not over you. I'm….still so in love with you and that's not fair. Because…you love Tris, and I have really accepted that, but I just can't be around it. I'm sorry."

My heart is breaking.

Cara may not be my girlfriend, I don't love her like that, but she is my best friend. The one that I tell everything to, the person that I spent four years with, she is family.

"Cara…you're my best friend."

"I know. I know that…and maybe…maybe one day…I can be that again. I just…can't right now…." She shakes her head. "I can't."

"Cara, I'm so sorry, for everything, I'm—"

"Stop, it's not about that. I swear. I'm not mad at you, I don't hate you. I understand. I understand why everything happened the way that it did. I don't hate you. I'm not mad at you for breaking up with me, or cheating on me, or…any of the other terrible shit that happened…I just…need time. Okay?"

"Cara…I'll make it easy for you, I swear. We don't have to talk about Tris, or…or Marcus…or any of it I just…need you in my life. Please."

She looks down at the blankets, tears streaming down her cheeks now. The breathing machine is making a strange beeping sound.

"Are you okay?"

She nods. "Yeah, my lungs are just working extra hard right now." She sniffs back tears.

"I'm sorry.." I whisper.

"I know. I know. And it's okay. It really is, I promise." She wipes her cheeks.

"Cara. I want you there. I want you at the wedding; it won't feel right without you now that you're awake. Please. I understand you need distance, but please, be distant after the wedding."

"Oh Four…" she puts her face in her hands for a moment. "I'm so sorry, I don't think that I can."

My heart drops a little, but I get it. I do. I just can't stop caring for her the way that I do. She is my best friend.

I've never even had a best friend before her.

"I wish I had figured out what you mean to me and in what way before I hurt you like this."

She shrugs a little. "Everything happens for a reason, right?"

"I love you, Cara."

She closes her eyes, "Don't…don't say that to me…"

"Why? It's true."

"I know! I know it is, but it just…it feels like before and…I know it's not in that way anymore. I know that I'm just like your little sister."

"Cara, someone is going to love you the way that you want to be loved. I promise."

She shakes her head. "Just go. Please." She turns her head into the pillow.

"…Cara…"

"Four! Go! PLEASE!" She's crying hard now, and I don't know what to do. I know Cara, and I know she doesn't like to be coddled when she's upset, but this feels different.

I walk over to her and lean down to kiss her forehead.

"I hope we can be friends soon." I whisper.

She turns away and I take that as my cue to leave. I reach the door and I turn back to look at her.

"…If you change your mind…the ceremony's at six…We're going to have it at the Ferris wheel. So…"

I don't say anything else though.

I just give Cara her time and distance.

**Tris**

They say your wedding day is supposed to be the most exciting day of your life. I, however, feel like a livewire.

My whole body is ringing, like it's waited too long for this day.

"You look gorgeous," I turn to look at Shauna when she speaks.

"The shoes are too big." I mumble.

"No one's going to be looking at your feet, crazy." She shakes her head.

I smooth out the skirt of my dress. "Yeah, I guess not. Thank you for being here with me."

"Of course. I love you and Four. This is great." I move over towards her and give her a small hug.

"It just feels so weird. I feel sixteen most of the time, but I guess I'm a real adult now."

Shauna laughs, "Trust me, there's not really that much of a difference."

I take a deep breath and then peer out from the little 'bridal tent' we'd set it up.

I can see Caleb and Zeke talking by the few chairs we'd set up and Johanna, preparing herself to marry us.

Everything was coming together, and I think that's why I feel so nervous. I draw back into the tent, and Shauna is already standing.

"I should go take my seat." She says.

I nod a little, "Yeah…okay." I give her another hug and she exits the tent. I am so glad that Tobias decided that we didn't need a maid of honor or a best man; I think it had something to do with Cara not wanting to show up. She was the closest thing he had to a best friend. I was just glad that I had the pressure of getting Christina here off of my shoulders.

The tent flaps open and Caleb walks in.

"Tris, you look very pretty." He says with a little smile.

"Oh shut up." I mumble and we both laugh.

"You ready for this?" He asks me.

I nod. "I've been ready to marry Four since day one."

Caleb grins, "You know, I believe that."

He pulls me into a hug and I can't believe the dramatic way everything has changed. I am hugging my brother, and he is going to walk me down the aisle in a few minutes time.

I pull back a little.

"Is Cara coming today?"

Caleb's mouth puckers for a moment and then he shakes his head.

"I don't know. I don't think so. She was feeling really…against it last night, and they barely released her from the hospital this morning. So…I don't think so."

I nod, "Yeah, wishful thinking. I just know it would mean a lot to Tobias."

We hear soft music start to play and that is our cue.

"Alright baby sister, you ready?"

I nod, and wrap my arm around his.

"Just don't let me fall, okay?"

**Tobias/Four**

She walks towards me and she is all I see.

I know Caleb is supposed to be next to her somewhere, but all I can see is her.

It is like Tris-vision.

She's absolutely beautiful and I suddenly feel under-dressed despite my suit.

I shift my feet to keep myself from running down the aisle to her.

She smiles at me from the aisle and mouths. "Hi."

I shake my head, but I smile back at her.

I can't believe this is really happening.

This is really happening.

I am marrying Tris.

I am _marrying_ Tris.

My stomach is doing flip-flops.

She finally gets to me and I take her hands in mine, and I resist the urge to kiss her. She's never been more beautiful than in this moment.

Johanna starts talking, and I can't hear her clearly over the rushing in my ears. I reach out and push a strand of hair behind her ear and she blushes.

"You're beautiful…" I say.

She laughs and so does everyone else.

I suddenly realize that I am speaking to her in full-volume in the middle of Johanna's speech.

"I'm sorry…" I whisper.

Johanna continues talking and then suddenly it's time to read vows and I can't remember a single word that I've written down, but Tris goes first.

"Tobias." She starts. "You are…everything that I could want. You challenge me. You believe in me. You never waver in your love for me, and that is why I give you my heart today. We make each other better, and I think that's beautiful." She smiles. "I am scared but I think of my mother, and how she wanted me to be brave, and today, I am taking a leap with you, Tobias Eaton, and I'm going to be brave."

I know it's my turn, but I can't seem to speak.

"It's your turn now." She whispers.

I open my mouth and then close it. I can't do this. Not the way I'd originally planned it.

"Tris," I shake my head. "I had all these beautiful things I'd written down earlier to say to you…and I can't remember a single one, because I am so…blown away by how you look tonight. I am standing here, and all I can think about is the way you make me laugh, and how angry you make me sometimes and the way you comfort me by just holding my hand. I think about how you when you were gone it felt like all the lights had gone out and I was just…stumbling around in the darkness. Then you came back and it was like…a burst of light. I'm so lucky to have that for the rest of my life, _I'm so lucky_, because I know what it's like to live without out it. Tris, you are the love of my life and I promise to give you all of myself. I can't promise that I won't make you angry, or that I won't make mistakes, because I'm sure that I will, but I promise to make you happy to the best of my ability, and to love you with every part of me."

She's crying now and it makes her even more beautiful.

Johanna says a few more things and then it's time for us to kiss.

I don't care that all of our friends are here, I kiss her like we are alone and to my great surprise she kisses me back the same way.

This is the beginning of something amazing.

I can feel it in my bones.

Everything is going to be okay as long as were together.

So as I kiss her, I don't worry about politics, or the genetic war, or Marcus locked up in the politics building, or Evelyn and her growing discomfort with Tris.

I just think about the fact that I just married Tris, and she is everything I could ever want. I hear our friends and family clapping and yelling congratulations but I am still on tunnel vision for Tris.

"Well, Mr. Eaton, We finally did it." She whispers

I smile, _"_Well_, Mrs. Eaton." _I say, with incredible emphasis.

"I'm not ever going to let you go."

She smiles.

"Just kiss me again…" She whispers.

I have no qualms with indulging her on that request.

I press my lips to hers and I pray that our happily ever after is on the horizon.


End file.
